Edward S. Curtis: Photographs from The Wittliff Collections

Edward S. Curtis: Photographs from The Wittliff Collections

The North American Indian is one of the most ambitious photographic projects ever undertaken. Published from 1907 to 1930, its twenty bound volumes contain documentation of more than 100 tribes’ languages, stories, and songs, along with extensive illustration by Curtis’ photographs. The volumes are paired with large portfolios. From these portfolios the framed prints in this exhibition were selected. Curtis shot some 40,000 photographs during these years, selecting 2,234 photographs to be included in the publication.

Curtis’ work has also come under scrutiny, revealing that he used the same clothing, accessories, or blankets for multiple tribes and that he retouched many of his negatives to remove evidence of Western items like suspenders, parasols, and more. For these reasons, Curtis is now regarded by some as a notorious “faker,” and he is dismissed for romanticizing Native Americans at a time when their forced assimilation into Western culture denied their rights and dignity. Nevertheless, many Native Americans today defend Curtis’ images. In many cases these photographs are the sole depictions of their forebears. It is also believed that Curtis gave his subjects a dignity they likely did not experience in their daily lives.

Branding Curtis simply as a romantic or “faker” may also not be wholly appropriate. While instances of manipulation exist, about half of his published images depict recognizable elements of Western culture—from machine-made clothing and guns to hats and eyeglasses. We should also consider the extensive research Curtis and his partners did, including making nearly 10,000 recordings of native speech and song. In reality, Curtis’ imagery and his writing would suggest that Curtis had a more complex attitude toward Native Americans and toward photographing them.

Come view the exhibition and decide for yourself.

The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University have organized this loaned exhibition to honor the gift of Edward S. Curtis’ monumental photographic publication, The North American Indian, by founding donors Bill and Sally Wittliff in 2016.