Edward S. Curtis: Visions of the First Americans

by Don Gulbrandsen

The book includes many regions, tribes and ages of people, and in some ways even some of the more negative aspects of his photographs are invaluable because they informed much of the mainstream American (worldwide, really) mythology that surrounds First Nations peoples of North America. The photos are somewhere between documentary and romanticism. Where he could have taken straight documentary photos of poverty and tattered Western/white clothing, he instead staged warrior meetings on horseback and the like.

Genres: Photography, History, Nonfiction, Native American, Art, Historical, Biography

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really intriguing collection of photos, though I wonder in hindsight if I should've tried to find the original collection. It seemed like potentially quite a lot was left out, both information and picture-wise. There was a weirdly high number of typos in this book which also make me a little wary about the editing quality and if the info was also not well edited.
Apart from that, well worth it.

[J.D. Steens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a selection from Curtis' twenty volume picture documentary of the North American Indian. The story of the thirty years he dedicated to the project is interesting in itself. His single-minded focus placed stress on his family and ultimately led to the breakup of his marriage. He lived on the financial edge, constantly searching for funding patrons. The author writes that Curtis was "an artist with a complex view of his subjects." His views on Indians somewhat reflected his time, and the methods he used to obtain his photos have been subjected to criticism.

Curtis wanted to complete as much of his project as he could before the native culture disappeared under the influence of the whites. Each picture selected for this particular volume projects a strong statement, both as documentary and art. A crow medicine man poses with an eagle headdress, a portrait of Bear's Belly wearing a bear skin, two Cheyenne men in ceremonial paint for the Sun Dance that reanimated the earth, and seal hunters in kayaks all testify to Indians' powerful connection to the land. Yet, Curtis also captures the waning of native North American cultures with portraits of a wife and daughter in traditional dress with a husband in a Western suit, and a Nez Perce matron in traditional dress with a cross on her necklace. As we leave the past, Curtis' photos reveal a powerful story of what has been left behind.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This coffee-table book highlights a selection among Curtis's hundreds of photographs documenting indigenous Americans. Showing everyday scenes, staged re-enactments and haunting portraits, the sepia-toned images fulfill the photographer's goal of documenting vanishing ways of life. Even this small collection conveys Curtis's determination to spotlight cultural differences among a population commonly labeled as "American Indian". The opening essay in the book touches on Curtis's strategies for capturing little-seen details among the various tribes -- and notes he sometimes breached ethics in order to achieve his objective. For those interested in a deeper dive into the photographer's background, I highly recommend "Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis", a prize-winning biography by Timothy Egan.

[Tamara aka SoMysteriousLee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My hardcover copy was published 2011, so I guess all the typos that another reviewer lamented have been fixed. Though, admittedly, I haven't read every single word in the book, too busy admiring the pictures. Such beautiful people and for Curtis to have spent 30 years of his life learning about all of them is remarkable in itself. I've enjoyed perusing this book several times over the years, early photography fascinates me almost as much as the subjects in the photos.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing work by photographer Edward S. Curtis. Some typographical errors in the text (I have the 2010 edition) which I found annoying but overall a very good representation of a very ambitious project.

[Richard Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! A real window to the past.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really reading this as much as I'm looking at the pictures to supplement the reading of the Edward Curtis Biography "Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis". Although some of the photography seems ordinary, the subject matter is of a sad time in our history and Curtis was brilliant in determining the need to capture as much Native America life as possible before it's demise due to Anglo expansion and the sad policies our Government formulated in dealing with the "savages". Taken with that in mind, the photography takes on a whole new meaning. The fact that Curtis devoted the majority of his professional life to the cause makes it all the more extraordinary. We take for granted the point and shoot digital photography of today. Understanding what Curtis had to do in the field in order to capture these images is nothing short of amazing.

This book along with the biography was a thoughtful gift from my mother for Christmas.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of photos from the turn of the last century of various southwestern, western, and north western tribes. The introduction provided and introduction to Curtis, but I knocked a star because there wasn't nearly as much background reading before each section of photos to describe the tribes bing photographed. Still the photos are beautiful, and some are very high quality considering the dates they were taken, and it brings another much-needed glimpse into some of the cultures that were disrupted and destroyed after being developed here for centuries. Definitely worth a look.

[Steve DeViney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of just some of Edward Curtis' thousands of photographs. A major disappointment was the sloppy proofreading of text by the author or publisher with 18-20 grammatical and spelling errors, beginning on the first page of the Introduction. For such a great photographer as Edward Curtis, he deserves a better and more professional effort from the publisher.

[Vleegoodfellow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great images, but the sepiatone and somewhat poor printing quality of the book take away from the images intended beauty a bit. A well put together book though, especially for the Curtis uninitiated.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and moving.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

The subjects are staged for the touristic interests of outsiders, but still there is a lot of value in what the subjects offer.

[Jim Robles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lucky find and a great addition to "Late Nights of the Shadow Catcher."

The thirty-first book I have finished this year.

[Lauren Florence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of course, the photography is spectacular, but the text is brief, repetitive and riddled with typos. Terrible editing on this beautiful book!

[Nate Jordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning images. The only criticism I have regards the text, which could have used a copy editor or proofreader at best.

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Edward S. Curtis. If you had not taken the pictures of the Native Americans. They would never have existed in our history.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Meg for sharing this gorgeous book...

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular photos of Indian life