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. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Culture
Title
Ledger Book Drawing
Date
ca. 1890
Geography
Possible place collected: Darlington, Missouri, United States
Medium
Ink, crayon, woven paper
Classification
Dimensions
7 1/4 x 14 in. (18.4 x 35.6 cm)
Credit Line
A. Augustus Healy Fund
Accession Number
1992.76.1
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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