Lithography display offers snapshot of plains Indians culture

Art Business News, March, 2004

An exhibition of hand-colored lithographs portraying some of the most famous figures in Native-American history is on display at the Amon Carter Museum through March 28. "James Otto Lewis and 'The Aboriginal Port-Folio,' 1835-1836" is composed of images created by Lewis (1799-1858), who was appointed by the United States Indian Bureau as the official portraitist for the treaty councils in the Upper Great Lakes region. The portfolio is noted as one of the first significant lithographic productions made in this country.

Between 1825 and 1827, Lewis recorded treaty councils in the Michigan Territory and in the Indiana Territory. He not only painted approximately 250 camp sketches and portraits of the Native Americans who participated in these councils, but also interviewed his subjects. As he came to recognize that these people represented the last of the great nations to live freely across the upper Midwest, Lewis saw the value in publishing his field notes and portrait studies. In 1835, he produced the first published pictorial record of North American Indians with his illustrated account of the treaty councils.

SHOW FACTS

"James Otto Lewis and 'The Aboriginal Port-Folio,' 1835-1836"

Through March 28

Amon Carter Museum

Address: 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd. Fort Worth, TX

Phone: (817) 738-1933

Web site: www.cartermuseum.com