Edward S. Curtis

By Emory Lewman

Edward S. Curtis• He was born

February 16, 1868-1952

• Born in Whitewater, Wisconsin

• His father was a minister

Early Life

• Edward had early aspirations of becoming a photographer

- He dropped out of school in middle school and soon built his own camera

• At the age of 17 he became a apprentice

• He had 4 children

• And his first portrait was of Kicksomolo, a native American princess

Accomplishments• Curtis is best known for his photo-

documentation of Amerindians -But often he depicted their culture and

artifacts wrongly as props

• He was attempting to preserve the vanishing culture and life style of native Americans

• In 1914 Curtis even made a feature film In the Land of Head Hunters, based on the North west Coast tribe, the Kwakiatl

• Published in 1907

• Quilcene Boy

Canyon de Chelly

Description of Canyon de Chelly

• 7 American Indians on horse back are traveling across the open land.

• The Indians appear very small in comparison to the gigantic canyon cliffs.

• They travel across open untouched land

Analysis of Canyon de Chelley

• In this photo the element of space and repetition is used

- The same 7 figures are repeated through the picture

• And contrast of the tiny figures to the canyon

Interpretation of Canyon de Chelly

• In this picture Curtis is trying to convey the vanishing culture of the Native Americans

• As they walk through the barren canyon it reflects their disappearance and withering life style

• And their lonely silhouettes send the viewer back to the days when the Indians lived alone on the American soil

Judgment of Canyon de Chelly

• Canyon de Chelly is one of my favorite photos that Curtis took.

• The picture is beautiful yet bitter, it reminds me of how beautiful the earth was untouched by civilization

• I find this to be one of his most moving photos

http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=60115&handle=li

Hopi, Watching the Dancers

• American Arizona, 1906

• Gelatin Silver Print

• 7 3/4 x 5 13/16 in

The Eclipse Dance

• American, 1910 – 1914

• Gelatin silver print

• 5 9/16 x 8 in.

Hupa Mother and Child

• 1924

• Family Group-Noatak• 1930

Questions

1.Where was Curtis born?

• A)California

• B)Georgia

• C)Wisconsin

Questions

• 2. What did he take pictures of?

• A) animals

• B) trees

• C) indians

Questions

1. He was an actor before a photographer

True or False?

Bibliography • http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/

wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Edward_S._Curtis_Collection_People_004.jpg&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edward_S._Curtis_Collection_People_004.jpg&usg=__jPZt0aGZf7qO0hCMqaAFGbIccOk=&h=868&w=676&sz=182&hl=en&start=48&sig2=juOhePDT3jidpUPzfnYvww&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=uWz0j_0QlfokCM:&tbnh=145&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dedward%2Bs.%2Bcurtis%2Bphotographs%26start%3D40%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=6C9ATYimA4rWgQf338n1Ag

• http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artMakerDetails?maker=1814

• http://www.sil.si.edu/Exhibitions/Curtis/curtis-intro-3.htm