Skip to main content

Canyon de Chelly

Edward S. Curtis

Artwork Details

Canyon de Chelly
1904
Edward S. Curtis
orotone on glass
10 1/2 in x 13 1/2 in (26.7 cm x 34.3 cm);15 3/4 in x 18 7/8 in (40.01 cm x 47.94 cm)
Museum purchase made possible by the W. Hawkins Ferry Fund
1999/1.96

Description

Subject Matter:

This photograph is a depiction of a group of Navajo on horses crossing the Canyon de Chelly, located in Northeastern Arizona. The Navajo live in this region, and are one of the largest groups in the Southwest. Curtis recorded in his ethnographic account that this canyon is of the "divine ones," a sacred canyon from which the gods emerge and voices echo from those who have passed. 

Physical Description:

A team of seven people on horses and a dog cross the desert. They appear small compared to the vast rocky landforms behind them.

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.