Ledger Book Drawing

Possibly Cheyenne

Brooklyn Museum photograph

Object Label

Beginning in the 1860s, Plains warriors illustrated their battle exploits in ledger books and on ledger- book paper that were acquired through trade, gift, and booty. This practice continued a long visual tradition of Native warriors’ depictions of individual and tribal histories on hide shirts, robes, tipis, and tipi liners. Plains artists often represented warfare between Native tribes, as well as against the U.S. Army. Here, a warrior wearing a long eagle-feather headdress is scalping another fallen warrior, who just dropped his bow and arrows.

Caption

Possibly Cheyenne. Ledger Book Drawing, ca. 1890. Ink, crayon, woven paper, 7 1/4 x 14 in. (18.4 x 35.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, A. Augustus Healy Fund, 1992.76.1. No known copyright restrictions (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1992.76.1_transp3554.jpg)

Gallery

Not on view

Title

Ledger Book Drawing

Date

ca. 1890

Geography

Possible place collected: Darlington, Missouri, United States

Medium

Ink, crayon, woven paper

Classification

Drawing

Dimensions

7 1/4 x 14 in. (18.4 x 35.6 cm)

Credit Line

A. Augustus Healy Fund

Accession Number

1992.76.1

Rights

No known copyright restrictions

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Frequent Art Questions

  • Were these drawings encouraged for commercial purposes rather than documentary?

    I believe it was a bit of both. The use of paper as opposed to hide marked a transition in medium but the practice of drawing/painting scenes of this type was common before the reservation era.
    After decreased economic opportunities as a result of forced relocation and other U.S. governmental restrictions in the 19th century, the practice provided a source of income but that is not to say that the practice was driven by commercial purposes alone.
    Thank you very much, I really appreciate the information and your time!
    You're welcome!
  • Tell me more.

    Ledger art is a plains style created around the end of the 19th century. Drawn mostly on ruled pages from account books, these works are a continuation of traditional drawings originally painted on buffalo skin garments and tipi covers.
    This drawing depicts one warrior scalping a fallen warrior who has dropped his bow and arrows.
  • Do several of these form a connecting narrative of, say, a large battle?

    It is possible that bound ledger books filled with drawings once contained various drawings that conveyed scenes from a larger, overarching narrative, but the drawings were in high demand among white settlers and were often sold individually.
    Bound ledger books were also often dismantled by art dealers seeking to gain economic profits.

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