“OASIS IN THE BADLANDS”

1905

This classic Curtis image was made in the heart of the Bad Lands of South Dakota. The subject is the sub-chief Red Hawk who was born 1854 and participated in his first war party in 1865 with Crazy Horse against U.S. army troops. He was a fierce warrior and ultimately engaged in 20 battles, including the Custer fight in 1876. This lyrical image is widely considered to be Curtis’ most important and beautiful Great Plains peopled landscape. Curtis loved the visual and metaphorical qualities of water, and the goldtone, more than any other photographic medium, conveys the beauty of water as an aesthetic element. The compelling composition and subject matter have helped this remain one of Curtis’ most sought after and beautiful images, nearly one hundred years after it was originally made.