Curtis

by Hans Christian Adam, Edward Curtis (Photographer)

For over thirty years, photographer Edward Sheriff Curtis (1868-1952) traveled the length and breadth of North America, seeking to record in words and images the traditional life of its vanishing indigenous inhabitants. Like a man possessed, he strove to realize his life's work, which culminated in the publication of his encyclopedia ""The North American Indian."" In the end, this monumental work comprised twenty textual volumes and twenty portfolios with over 2000 illustrations. No other photographer has created a larger oeuvre on this theme, and it is Curtis, more than any other, who has crucially molded our conception of Native Americans. This book shows the photographer's most impressive pictures and vividly details his journey through life, which led him not only into the prairies but also into the film studios of Hollywood.

Genres: Photography, History, Coffee Table Books, Nonfiction, Art, Art and Photography

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

Hans Christian Adam studied psychology, art history and communication studies in Göttingen and Vienna. As a specialist in historical pictorial material, he has published numerous articles and books, including titles on travel and war photography. He is the author of TASCHEN’s Edward Sheriff Curtis: The North American Indian, Karl Blossfeldt, Eugène Atget: Paris and Berlin.

Reviews

[KathleenW · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is 59 pages of text describing some of Curtis’ life, methods of photography and challenges, etc. The remainder are beautiful photos of native tribal members in various settings. In some cases he utilized a studio in other cases he visited and asked them to pose or if he couldn’t photograph certain events etc.
Some criticism is of his asking the people to pose/etc. but nobody else went about documenting the lives - so while photographers often get in trouble for being invasive/faking things- I’m glad he took the time to get such intimate photos to document this time in the past.

Enjoyed but also terribly sad for me in the reality of humanity and struggles and the sacrifices of humans and many animals who served with and for them -throughout time.

[J.D. Steens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The photos are top-of-the-line art pieces. Each one is carefully constructed to show North American Indians in their best light.

Curtis received criticism for his artistic documentary of Indian life. As the introductory essay says, "Established ethnologists and anthropologists regarded Curtis' activities with suspicion." They "wanted to see a strict division between art and science," between staged pictures and authenticity of Indians before modernity." There may have also been some resentment on the critics' part as Curtis was more widely known at that time than those who looked at Indian life "scientifically."

The essay, written separately in English, French and German, covers the background of Curtis' life (the back of the book includes pictures of his non-Indian work from his Seattle studio) and his dedication to his documentary project. It states that his pictures "express the universal values of the family, the tribe and the nation." I don't know how this is so. What particularly stood out was the role of the shamans, masks, and dancing. Some of the commentary seemed overdone, including this concluding line that, though the photos may be "posed, idealistic and romantic," they express "the American dream," and the call "for a better world." The other half of that concluding sentence, that the photos captured the "dream of pride and freedom," I think makes sense.


Their presentation in this book is excellent. Each photo is given its due. There's no crowding, to pack the book full of photos. For the most part, there's one photo printed per page. In some instances, there are more. The paper pages almost feel like card stock.

[Dewayne Stark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Hopi Walpi maidens page 144 145

[S Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully photographed as expected. Would like to have had a bit more details about the photos.

[brian tanabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

While not well-versed in photography or american history, I cannot imagine a more historically important photographer. ES Curtis is a national hero for documenting the last of these peoples.

However, the photographs are very, very painful to look at -- I wonder, as these people don their beautiful regalia, if they realize the transition they are going through.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. A vital piece of history.