Edward S. Curtis: One Hundred Masterworks

Published on the occasion of the exhibition “Edward S. Curtis: One Hundred Masterworks”, organized by the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography, at Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati, 12.06.2015-20.09.2015. Widely acknowledged as the world’s leading authority on Edward Curtis, Christopher Cardozo draws on his deep understanding of the photographer and his work in curating this stunning selection, chosen from several thousand vintage Curtis photographs created from 1895–1930. Curtis’s magnum opus, The North American Indian, is a singular contribution to American history and to the history of North America’s Native people. It is also a testament to Curtis’s tireless efforts to document and express the culture and spirit of over eighty distinct tribal groups. Every style, subject matter, cultural and geographic area and medium Curtis worked in is included. This volume reproduces prints created in six different print mediums as well as rare ephemera that both contextualise and enrich the masterworks. Carefully and insightfully curated, the photographs in One Hundred Masterworks create a unique mosaic, giving the viewer a deep, rich understanding of Curtis’s importance as an artist.