129

Edward S. Curtis

(1868 - 1952)

The Vanishing Race - Navajo, 1904

orotone on glass (goldtone)
signed in negative lower right: CURTIS LA ©
original The Vanishing Race, Biltmore Hotel studio label at upper left on verso
original backing paper
original backing board can be seen with embossment on verso: Edward S. Curtis Studios Inc., Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles
in original 'batwing' style period frame
negative date: 1904
print date: ca. 1932
Navajo, Southwest
10 1/4 x 13 3/8 in. (26 x 34 cm.), frame: 15 5/8 x 18 5/8 in. (39.7 x 47.3 cm.)

  • Provenance: Edward Curtis studio, Los Angeles
    J.W. Wheeler, Seattle, Washington (personal friend of Edward Curtis)
    Catherine Peters (nanny to Mr. Wheeler)
    Orphadel Bruggeman (niece of Catherine Peters)
    Bruggeman Family Land Trust (estate beneficiaries)
  • Literature:
    The North American Indian (1907-1930), Portfolio 1, pl. 1
    Native Nations, Bulfinch Press publisher, 1993, p. 123
    Sacred Legacy: Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indian, Simon & Schuster publisher, 2000, p. 188
    Edward S. Curtis: The Great Warriors, Bulfinch Press publisher, 2004, p. 7
    The North American Indian Republication Custom Edition, Christopher Cardozo Fine Art, 2014, Portfolio Volume 1, pl. 1
    Edward S. Curtis One Hundred Masterworks, Delmonico Books/Prestel Publishing, 2015, p. 91, 166
    The North American Indian Republication Reference Edition, Christopher Cardozo Fine Art, 2017, Portfolio Volume 1, pl. 1

    The Vanishing Race is one of Edward Curtis' most iconic and poignant photographs. Taken in 1904, it depicts a group of Navajo riders on horseback fading into the distance, creating a powerful sense of movement into an uncertain future, reflecting Curtis' broader mission to document and preserve the traditions, lifestyles, and histories of Indigenous peoples before they were lost. Although modern perspectives recognize the resilience and survival of Indigenous cultures, The
    Vanishing Race remains a powerful artistic statement about the early 20th-century perception of Native American life.
  • Condition: This goldtone is in very good condition overall.
    The vintage frame is in very good condition overall with minor nicks and bumps at the edges.


    The condition reports for the lots offered by Santa Fe Art Auction (SFAA) are provided as a courtesy and convenience for potential buyers. The reports are not intended to nor do they substitute for physical examination by a buyer or the buyer's advisors. The condition reports are prepared by SFAA staff members who are not art conservators or restorers, nor do they possess the qualifications needed for comprehensive evaluation. Each condition report is an opinion of the staff member and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report does not imply anything as to the condition of a particular lot. Buyers are reminded that the limited warranties are set forth in the Terms and Conditions of Sale and do not extend to condition. Each lot is sold as-is.

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November 8, 2024 1:00 PM MST
Santa Fe, NM, US

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