LegacyLegendPressKit.htm

Home > Press Room > Press Kits > Legacy and Legend

Press Kit:

Legacy and Legend: Images of Indians from Four Centuries

June 9, 2007 – Sept. 2, 2007

Boone Gallery

In recognition of the 400th anniversary of the meeting of European and Native American peoples in Jamestown, Va., a new exhibition at The Huntington will look at how North American Indians have been depicted in images from the 1500s to the early 1900s. For centuries, European-trained artists, capitalizing on new printing technologies and the demand for engravings and illustrated books, created art for audiences that knew little about Indians but were fascinated by them. The images were often romanticized and tended to focus on the more dramatic—and marketable—aspects of Indian culture: unusual clothing and adornment, ritual ceremonies, and masculine activities such as buffalo hunting. Women were hardly ever seen, even though many tribes were matrilineal. This selective view created a distorted interpretation of Indian life that shaped the public’s understanding of native American culture, even down to this day.

The exhibition will feature extraordinary rare material drawn from The Huntington’s collections, including the first pictures said to be of an Indian, which accompanied a 15th-century letter by Columbus announcing his Western Hemisphere landing. Also on view will be the first lithographs of Indians by Swiss artist Peter Rindisbacher; 19th-century images by George Catlin from his North American Indian Portfolio (1844); stunning portraits published by Thomas McKenney and James Hall in their History of the Indian Tribes of North America (1842-44); and illustrations by Karl Bodmer, who was considered to be the best Indian artist of his time, from Reise in das innere Nord-America [Travels in the interior of North America] (1839-41) by naturalist Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied. Selected artifacts will also be on view. Mary Kay Hight is the guest curator.

This exhibition is made possbile in part through a grant from the Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation

Press Release

Request Images

Photo Captions

John Smith Acct

John Smith, The general historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles…with the procedings of those severall colonies and the accidents that befell them in all their journeys and discoveries… 1624. Engraved illustrations in this book depict several of Capt. Smith’s adventures, including the sparing of his life by Pocahontas (vignette at lower right). Huntington Library

Smith and Pocahontas

John Smith, The general historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles…with the procedings of those severall colonies and the accidents that befell them in all their journeys and discoveries… 1624. Detail from a page of engraved illustrations shows Pocahontas pleading for the life of Capt. John Smith. Huntington Library

Great Chiefs

Engraving depicting “Un des grands seigneurs de Virginia” [One of the great chiefs of Virginia] from Theodor de Bry’s Merveilleux et Estrange Rapport…des Commodites Qui se Trouvent en Virginia, [Marvelous and strange report… of the commodities that are found in Virginia.] 1590. Huntington Library

Catlin-Buffalo Hunter

George Catlin, “Indian Hunting Buffalo.” Hand-colored lithographic print, from Catlin’s North American Indian Portfolio, 1844. Huntington Library

Bodmer-Dog Dance

“Pehriska-Ruhpa, Moennitarri warrior in the costume of the Dog Dance.” Aquatint by Karl Bodmer, from Maximillian von Wied’s Reise in das innere Nord-Amerika [Travels in the interior of North America], 1843. Huntington Library.

Bodmer-Blackfoot

“A Blackfoot Indian on Horseback. ” Aquatint by Karl Bodmer from Maximillian von Wied’s Reise in das innere Nord-Amerika [Travels in the interior of North America], 1843. Huntington Library.

McKenney-Red Jacket

“Red Jacket, Seneca war chief,” from History of the Indian tribes of North America by Thomas McKenney and James Hall, 1836-44. Huntington Library.

McKenney-Musquakee Chief

“Wa-Pel-La, chief of the Musquakees,” from History of the Indian tribes of North America by Thomas McKenney and James Hall, 1836-44. Huntington Library.

Curtis-High Hawk

Edward Curtis, High Hawk, ca. 1907. Photogravure. Huntington Library

Curtis-Bow River

Edward Curtis, Bow River-Blackfoot, ca. 1926. Photogravure. Huntington Library

Curtis-Bread

Edward Curtis, Bread – Apsaroke, 1908. Photogravure. Huntington Library.

Curtis-White Man Runs Him

Edward Curtis, White Man Runs Him, ca. 1908. Photogravure. Huntington Library.

Moon-Mequelito

Carl Moon, Mequelito, ca. 1906. Toned gelatin silver print. Huntington Library.

Moon-Water Carrier

Carl Moon, The Water Carrier, ca. 1905. Toned gelatin silver print. Huntington Library.

Moon-The Wolf

Carl Moon, The Wolf, Má-Itso, ca. 1907. Toned gelatin silver print. Huntington Library.