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A Corner of Taos and a Kiva Entrance

Edward S. Curtis; Suffolk Engraving Co., Cambridge MA

Artwork Details

A Corner of Taos and a Kiva Entrance
1925
Edward S. Curtis; Suffolk Engraving Co., Cambridge MA
photogravure on paper
6 5/8 in x 8 1/4 in (16.83 cm x 20.96 cm)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas M. Kenyon
1987/1.209

On Display

Not currently on display

Description

Subject Matter:

This image, a Kiva entrance at the Taos reservation, Northernmost of the Pueblos, is from The North American Indian (1907-1930), a twenty-volume series created by Edward Curtis in order to document the lives of Native Americans in diverse regions of the Western United States. This limited edition volume was financially supported by J.P. Morgan, and promoted by Theodore Roosevelt. The resulting works have been criticized and celebrated for their portrayal of Native American life. Curtis often included anachronous props and clothing and presented rituals that had not been performed in years in order to support an idealized and romantic reading of a “vanishing race.”

Physical Description:

A photograph of adobe structures in a desert landscape. Each structure is square, many with small windows. To the left, a wooden structure is visible in the background.

Usage Rights:

If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.