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| Three
Chiefs - Piegan |
| 1900 |
Image Size: 12" x 16" |
| Platinum Print |
Paper Size: 20" x 24" |
| “ The Three Chiefs” is, historically,
arguably the single most important of Curtis’ 50,000 photographic
images. The photograph was made in the summer of 1900 and is
the key image from that critical, watershed experience in Curtis’
life. It was during this short field trip to Montana with noted
ethnographer George Bird Grinnell that Curtis first encountered
Native Americans whose culture was still largely intact and
who were also willing to share their religion, mythology, and
personal lives with him. This brief experience ignited Cutis’
passion to preserve a comprehensive record of Native American
life. This two-week experience inalterably changed Curtis and
his life was never the same again. It is said that in making
this image of three tribal leaders in their traditional garb
on a typical upland prairie that Curtis spent three days looking
for the perfect combination of riders, sky, and prairie. |
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