Edward S. Curtis, Chief Joseph - Nez Percé, 1903
Edward S. Curtis
1868 - 1952
Chief Joseph - Nez Percé, 1903
photogravure on Japanese gampi tissue
inscribed in the plate upper left: Plate 256
titled in the plate lower left: CHIEF JOSEPH - NEZ PERCÉ
inscribed in the plate lower center: From Copyright Photograph 1903 by E.S. Curtis
inscribed in the plate lower right: Photogravure John Andrew & Son
Chief Joseph was a leader of the Wallowa band of the Nez Percé (Nimiipuu), whose homeland lay in northeastern Oregon. He became internationally known during the Nez Percé War of 1877, when his people fled forced removal while pursued by the U.S. Army. Following their surrender near the Canadian border, Joseph became an eloquent advocate for Indigenous rights, seeking fair treatment and permission to return to the Wallowa Valley. Although he was never allowed to resettle there, his lifelong commitment to his people made him an enduring symbol of courage, dignity, and resistance to displacement.
15 5/8 x 11 in. (39.7 x 27.9 cm.), sheet: 22 1/4 x 17 5/8 in. (56.5 x 44.8 cm.)
Private Collection, Aspen, Colorado
Literature:
The North American Indian (1907-1930), Portfolio 8, pl. 256
Edward S. Curtis was an American photographer, ethnographer, and publisher best known for his ambitious lifelong project documenting Indigenous peoples of North America. Working in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, he produced thousands of photographs as well as audio recordings, notes, and texts that culminated in the monumental publication The North American Indian (1907–1930). Curtis is especially admired for the striking beauty of his photogravures, platinum prints, and goldtones. Today, he remains one of the most recognized and influential figures in the history of American photography.
Condition
A condition report for this lot is available upon request (please include the lot number in your request) and is provided by Santa Fe Art Auction as a courtesy and convenience for potential buyers.
Edward S. Curtis
1868 - 1952
Chief Joseph - Nez Percé, 1903
photogravure on Japanese gampi tissue
inscribed in the plate upper left: Plate 256
titled in the plate lower left: CHIEF JOSEPH - NEZ PERCÉ
inscribed in the plate lower center: From Copyright Photograph 1903 by E.S. Curtis
inscribed in the plate lower right: Photogravure John Andrew & Son
Chief Joseph was a leader of the Wallowa band of the Nez Percé (Nimiipuu), whose homeland lay in northeastern Oregon. He became internationally known during the Nez Percé War of 1877, when his people fled forced removal while pursued by the U.S. Army. Following their surrender near the Canadian border, Joseph became an eloquent advocate for Indigenous rights, seeking fair treatment and permission to return to the Wallowa Valley. Although he was never allowed to resettle there, his lifelong commitment to his people made him an enduring symbol of courage, dignity, and resistance to displacement.
15 5/8 x 11 in. (39.7 x 27.9 cm.), sheet: 22 1/4 x 17 5/8 in. (56.5 x 44.8 cm.)
Private Collection, Aspen, Colorado
Literature:
The North American Indian (1907-1930), Portfolio 8, pl. 256
Edward S. Curtis was an American photographer, ethnographer, and publisher best known for his ambitious lifelong project documenting Indigenous peoples of North America. Working in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, he produced thousands of photographs as well as audio recordings, notes, and texts that culminated in the monumental publication The North American Indian (1907–1930). Curtis is especially admired for the striking beauty of his photogravures, platinum prints, and goldtones. Today, he remains one of the most recognized and influential figures in the history of American photography.
Condition
A condition report for this lot is available upon request (please include the lot number in your request) and is provided by Santa Fe Art Auction as a courtesy and convenience for potential buyers.
