Sons of a Yakima Chief

Accession Number
1997/1.156

Title
Sons of a Yakima Chief

Artist(s)
Edward S. Curtis

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1910

Medium & Support
photogravure on paper

Dimensions
9 in x 12 1/4 in (22.8 cm x 31.2 cm);19 7/16 in x 14 3/8 in (49.3 cm x 36.5 cm);14 3/8 in x 19 7/16 in (36.5 cm x 49.3 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Stephen M. Taylor

Subject matter
This image of two boys from the Yakima tribe (now known as Yakama) 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
This is a portrait of two young boys. They stand inside a tipi or tent, wearing large headdresses and beadwork around their shoulders. The interior of the space is filled with patterned blankets and cloths. 

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Figures
Native American
Portraits
Yakima (culture or style)
boy
boys
children
costume (mode of fashion)
costumes
double portraits
feathers
headdress
interiors
modern and contemporary art

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& Author Notes

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