Wishham Bowl
Edward S. Curtis; John Andrew & Son, Boston
Description
Subject Matter:
This image of a ceramic bowl from the Wishham tribe—now known as Wishram—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 a hand-made ceramic bowl placed on a desert rock. Two abstract human figures are etched into the surface of the bowl, with decorative textures carved into the surface on either side.
Usage Rights:
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