A photographic monument to the indigenous peoples of North America
Edward S. Curtis dedicated his life to documenting the indigenous cultures of North America. Between 1907 and 1930, he published a monumental encyclopaedia in 20 volumes with over 40,000 photographs, 10,000 sound recordings and numerous ethnographic studies. His aim was to preserve the cultural heritage of these peoples before it was lost through progressive assimilation into Western society. His works are more than mere portraits – they are visual testimonies to a past way of life, staged with an artistic eye and sometimes conveying idealised ideas that often only corresponded to reality to a limited extent.
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Between science and staging
Curtis’ photographs not only show impressive portraits of indigenous peoples, but also landscapes, ceremonies and everyday objects. He follows an aesthetic that often contains romanticising elements. He removed modern objects from his pictures and deliberately staged his motifs in such a way that they appeared as “original” as possible. This approach earned him both admiration and criticism: Some celebrated him as a pioneer of ethnographic photography, while others accused him of painting a distorted picture of indigenous cultures. His photographs show a world that was already in a state of flux at the time they were taken.
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A life full of hardship and setbacks
For Curtis, working on The North American Indian was not only an ethnographic mission, but also a financial and personal tour de force. The costs of travelling, equipment and printing were enormous, and despite the support of J.P. Morgan, the project remained economically difficult. Curtis fell into debt, his marriage broke up and he became estranged from his family and his social environment. When the last volume was published, success failed to materialise and Curtis fell into obscurity while his debts continued to mount. It was only decades later that his work was rediscovered and is now considered one of the most important photographic projects of the 20th century, making an unrivalled contribution to the documentation of indigenous ways of life.
© Taschen Verlag
Rediscovery and current significance
Curtis’ photographs can be seen in museums and collections today. They are both historical documents and artistic masterpieces that convey a multifaceted picture of life among the indigenous peoples of North America. His pictures have had a lasting impact on Western perceptions of these cultures – both positive and problematic. On the one hand, they preserve traditions that would have been lost without his work. On the other hand, they often show an idealised, staged view. Curtis’ work raises fundamental questions about the role of photography as a means of documentation and the creation of historical narratives. Despite all the controversy, his collection remains one of the most important sources on the history of the indigenous peoples of North America.
Data
| Orginaltitel | Edward S. Curtis-The North American Indian. Complete Portfolios |
| Editor | Frederick Webb Hodge |
| Author | Peter Walther |
| Publisher | Taschen Verlag |
| Cover | Hardcover |
| Pages | 696 |
| Language | German, English, French |
| Dimensions | 24.3 x 30.4 cm |
| ISBN | 978-3-8365-9673-2 |
| Price | 100 € |
Further information
Further information on the book “Edward S. Curtis – The North American Indian – Complete Portfolios” (advertising) can be found on the Taschen Verlag website.
Compliance
The book was kindly made available to us by the publisher. The presentation and rating of HYPERMADE remains independent of this and is based solely on the content of the book.
