A New Generation: Images of Children from The North American Indian by Edward S. Curtis

July 19, 2011 - November 27, 2011

A New Generation: Images of Children from The North American Indian by Edward S. Curtis

As one of the few repositories in the world of a complete collection of The North American Indian by American photographer and adventurer Edward S. Curtis, Dubuque Museum of Art was proud to once again present a themed selection of images from this extensive and stunning collection. This installment featured images of Native American children, some of Curtis’s most endearing images. It was an image of a child that gave momentum to The North American Indian project, when Curtis was one of the winners in the “Prettiest Children in America” contest sponsored by Ladies Home Journal in 1904. This spurred his relationship with President Theodore Roosevelt who became one of the project’s most famous supporters. In order to share these appealing images of children with as many visitors as possible, DUMA partnered with local artist Scott Hendron to present a breakthrough tactile exhibition. The real highlight was four images brought to life in 3D by Hendron using ground-breaking printing technology. Visitors were welcome to touch the four prints and object labels were supplemented with Braille text thanks to Horizons for the Blind.

Image: Edward S. Curtis, A Makah Maiden, plate #385, 1915, photogravure on Dutch Van Gelder paper, gift of Dubuque Cultural Preservation Committee, an Iowa general partnership, consisting of Dr. Darryl K. Mozena, Jeffrey P. Mozena, Mark Falb, Timothy J. Conlon, and Dr. Randy Lengeling, 2009.385