Customer Reviews

The North American Indian: The Complete Portfolios

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is an incredible collection of pictures. Piles on piles of pictures. But... The pictures are small. I was hoping for a collection of large pictures(i.e. 8x10) but the majority of them are approximately 4x5. It's a wonderful book, but don't expect full sized images. Irregardless it's a great buy for the price. You'll have a hard time finding a collection of pictures as big as this(even if the pictures are small) :)

This book grows upon you as you realize the conditions under which this photograher lived in order to record this aspect of American history. Edward Curtis was truly artistic in his approach to photograhing this way of life . Consequently, the compassion he developed for these people is evident in his images. A great book to have if you're intriqued by photography.

absolutely stunning recollection of his complete photos. the reproductions are somewhat small, but easily viewable. such a complete set is so awe inspiring, anyone who has an interest or a love for native ameircan history/american history must have this book. absolute beauty.

Edward Sheriff Curtis dedicated his life's work to documenting the customs and lifeways of the Native American peoples of North America. This extraordinary book includes some of the best photographic examples from Curtis' twenty volume masterpiece, "The North American Indian," one of the most significant representations of traditional indigenous culture ever produced.

Curtis was one of two official photographers for the 1899 Harriman expedition to Alaska.
On his return, he stopped in northern Montana, accompanied by George Bird Grinell, editor of Forest and Stream. There he witnesses the deeply sacred Sundance of the Piegan and Blackfoot tribes, a sight which transformed his life. Grinell said to him at that time, "Take a good look. We're not going to see this kind of thing much longer. It already belongs to the past". It became clear to him then, that he was to record, with pen and camera, the life of the North American Indian.

Beginning in 1900 and continuing over the next thirty years, Edward S. Curtis, sometimes called the "Shadow Catcher" by tribes' people, took over 40,000 photographs and recorded ethnographic information from over eighty American Indian tribal groups, ranging from the Eskimo or Inuit people in the North to the Hopi people of the Southwest. In the end, the work comprised twenty textual volumes and twenty portfolios with over 2,000 illustrations
They are organized by tribes and culture areas, encompassing the Great Plains, Great Basin, Plateau Region, Southwest, California, Pacific Northwest, and Alaska. Featured here are some of the photographer's most impressive pictures, including: seal-hunting Eskimos of Nunivak Island, portraits of three Piegan chiefs on horseback, portraits of Chief Red Cloud, Ogalala Sioux, Geronimo, Chief Joseph, Nez Perce, the magnificent Canon de Chelly, (Navaho), and one of my favorites, Kotsuis and Hohhuq - Nakoaktok - 2 masked performers in a winter dance.

These reproductions are a precious American legacy and an artistic masterpiece worthy of any collection.
JANA

This book contains the best black/white images from the original complete collection. The portraits of Indian and the past moment of their daily life were captured with their character and dignity.

It is a marvelous image collection (Edward spent 30 years to make this 20-volume encyclopedia) of history. It represents the love of the dying population, and records the broken dream of native Indian.

The paperback version of this book is somewhat small, 5 1/2 x 7 3/4, so the pictures inside are quite small, making it hard to really accurately see the Indians. Many of the photos came out fairly dark, so the images are not clear and sharp. It does, however, chronicle the entire portfolio which Curtis completed in his original book. Since you can't usually find the original, this is the best you can get. Would be better in a larger format, however. Very interesting text.

Disappointed with this version, the content is exceptional but the book is just to small to really show off the photos.

This book is an indispensable reference for any artist who aspires to paint or draw Native Americans as part of their Western art if they want an authentic representation of those forgotten times.

[As an aside, I managed to find a hardback copy of this book, so they are out there if one looks hard enough for one.]

I looked at the available contents of this book. There were supposed to be over 700 pages to this book, but the book I received only had 218. I am very disappointed in this book. It was not at all what was advertised. Why put those contents when they are not in the book that I received!!!
The North American Indian

I caught a special on the Documentary Channel called "Coming to Light: Edward Curtis". I realized right then and there that I had to see this book they were talking about: The North American Indian. This is truly a ONE-OF-A-KIND book. I leave this book out on my coffee table and it gets attention. And because it's mostly pictures, my 7 year old daughter loves it. The most beautiful and meaningful collection of photos ever. I wish more people knew of it. What Curtis went through to make this is equally intriguing as the book itself. BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT.