LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 American Indian Art Signature #681  / 

77259

AN ARAPAHO LEDGER DRAWING

Currency:USD Category:Antiques Start Price:25,000.00 USD Estimated At:50,000.00 - 70,000.00 USD
AN ARAPAHO LEDGER DRAWING
<B>EIGHT ARAPAHO LEDGER DRAWINGS, SOME DEPICTING BATTLES WITH CUSTER'S 7TH CAVALRY<BR><BR></B></I>c. 1870<B><BR></B></I><BR><BR> <B> <BR></B></I>Eight<B> </B></I>lined pages, all apparently from the same account ledger, have been trimmed to various sizes then mounted on lightweight cardboard. Two artists have contributed drawings to these pages. One artist created the composition in the first lot--as they are arranged here. A second artist created all of the other six drawings. The media used were graphite pencil and colored pencil in red, blue and yellow. Later, captions were added in black ink and graphite pencil by a scribe identified on the second drawing as Ben Clark, a noted scout for the U. S. Army during the 1860s and 1870s, and later an interpreter at Darlington Agency, Indian Territory, home to the Southern Arapaho and Southern Cheyenne tribes.<BR><BR>It is clear that Clark added the captions long after the drawings had been made. Probably this was done at the request of a White collector, perhaps an Army officer who had captured the ledger, or someone associated with Darlington Agency. If Clark had known or been able to interview the two artists, we should expect at least some minimal identifications of the individuals portrayed. Plains Indian ledger art is essentially biographical---social documentation of significant events affecting the prestige of the artists. Since none of this is mentioned, it is clear that Clark was simply adding his best guess concerning the types of events portrayed. Nor is any of these occasions specifically identified, as one would expect if the artists had been consulted.<BR><BR>We assign the circa date of 1870 to these drawings, because the three encounters with U.S. troops must have occurred between1865, when the Arapaho were at war following the U.S. attack at Sand Creek, and the spring of 1875, when the tribes on the Southern Plains surrendered. The two encounters with Pawnee, who were enlisted scouts for the army during the late-1860s, suggest that the period may probably be narrowed to 1865-1869. Although an ink inscription on one of the mounts reads: “Sketched and colored by a full blood Indian near Fort Reno, I.T.”, that was merely the location where the drawings were annotated. The drawings undoubtedly pre-dated the existence of Darlington Agency, or the nearby fort.<BR><BR>The Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, both speakers of Algonkian languages, had long been allied and intermarried, producing many similarities of dress and material culture. Ben Clark was married to a Cheyenne woman. Nonetheless, in the matter of the tribal identification, Clark appears to have guessed wrong. Rather than “Cheyenne” as he assumed, two significant details in these drawings indicate that both artists were Southern Arapaho.<BR><BR>In the first drawing, a tipi is depicted, painted with a large design of an eagle or Thunderbird. This author is unaware of any, similar examples among the Cheyenne, while several are known from the Arapaho. Another painted Arapaho tipi with large, enfolding eagle figure is portrayed in the so-called Henderson ledger ( Petersen, 1988). Another Arapaho tipi, 20 feet in diameter and painted with a large eagle, was photographed at Darlington Agency, ca. 1895 (unpublished photograph in the Lessard collection, Santa Fe).<BR><BR>The second detail shown in many of these drawings suggesting that the second artist was also Arapaho, rather than Cheyenne, is the perimeter drape of red wool cloth hung with feathers shown on six of the ten war shields depicted. The Hungarian scholar Imre Nagy first noted that a characteristic feature of some Arapaho war shields is that when a perimeter drape is present, the strip of cloth often enfolds the bottom circumference of the shield and extends up usually more than halfway to the top, with the ends allowed to fold over and hang down loosely on either side. Many Arapaho shields with such perimeter drapes are depicted in the Henderson ledger. Another is documented in an 1899 photograph of an Arapaho man Runs Medicine, by the Denver studio of Rose and Hopkins (Denver Public Library, Neg. No. H-461).<BR><BR>By contrast, when a perimeter drape appears on a Cheyenne shield it usually lies over the <I>top</B></I> circumference, is attached perhaps halfway down on either side, with the ends hanging loosely. Other tribes (Lakota, Osage, Kiowa, Comanche) also employed the “top drape” convention. Sometimes the Arapaho did too. However, wrapping the drape instead around the <I>bottom</B></I> circumference appears to have been a “signature” characteristic unique to the Arapaho. The six such shields depicted in these drawings establish the tribal provenance. <BR><BR>In further confirmation, the shield depicted with concentric black and green circles is known to have been one of a set, probably of four identical shields made by the same visionary. In other Arapaho drawings seen by the author, shields of this pattern are being carried by the Arapaho Head Chief Left Hand, and a warrior society chief named Black Man. The actual shield of Chief Left Hand is still extant, and was sold at auction in 2006. Its painted design is identical to the one depicted here---see further discussion, below.<BR><B><BR></B></I> “Cheyenne with flute performing incantation. Pipe on ground.” <BR><BR>As discussed in the introduction, the tipi is painted with a design characteristic of the Arapaho. In addition to the large figure of an eagle or Thunderbird, the red-painted top and smoke flaps symbolize the upper firmament, probably at dawn. Blue, black, white and red stripes surround the base, indicative of the surface of the Earth, perhaps with alternate “roads.” Uniting the Sky and Earth, a vertical blue stripe at the rear of the tipi represents the path by which the visionary ascended to receive the instruction being demonstrated here. His path transected the crescent moon. The red circles (there would be two on the opposite side of the lodge, for a complement of four) may represent particular stars; or alternatively the circular lodges (buttes) of the Spirits of the Four Directions. The dark circles with blue centers shown at the earth’s surface probably represent springs, which were considered the entrances to the underworld home of powerful supernaturals. All game animals, for example, particularly buffalo, were considered to originate in subterranean caverns, and to be gifted to the Arapaho People.<BR><BR>This man, probably the artist, is performing a ceremony to strengthen or protect his horse. He began inside the tipi, probably burning particular herbs received in visionary fashion. These might include sweetgrass, cedar, juniper, or various pungent roots. Such an odor, combined with a particular song also received from a supernatural personage during a vision, was the means of invoking the presence of that mentor. Having summoned that assistance the man exited the tipi, shown by the line of dotted footsteps which depart from the entrance, turned to his left circling around the back of the lodge, then continued to the white horse. During this circuit the man was carrying the sacred pipe which he has laid upon the ground. The pipe may have been lit from an interior fire before the man left the tipi, then smoke was offered to the Great Directions as the man stopped beside each of the blue or red circles depicted on the lodge. Smoke might also have been offered to the horse before the pipe was laid upon the Earth.<BR><BR>The drawing appears to be unfinished. The animal would have been picketed to the sapling drawn beside it, though no rope is represented. Neither has the horse’s tail been completed. <BR><BR>The man is shown singing, which is to say offering a prayer. The force of this anthem is directed at the horse, not as an invocation, but rather as an enfolding nimbus of protective power. He may also have employed the flute in his left hand to the same purpose. In his right hand he holds another eagle feather, which probably will be employed to stroke the power he is invoking all over the body and limbs of the animal. It is likely that the horse was being prepared for battle. Alternatively, the owner might have been strengthening a favorite race horse; or invoking a particular color or coat pattern of colt, before the mare was bred.<BR><BR>The man is clothed only with a breechcloth made of dark blue (shown as black), wool, saved-list trade cloth. He is barefooted. His face and entire body are colored with red ocher paint. A line of yellow paint arches over his forehead and jaws. A vertical stripe and blue circles echo the design of the painted tipi. A golden eagle feather is shown tied to the man’s scalplock. Worn bandolier fashion, a circular amulet hangs at the man’s right hip. Packets of protective herbs are tied around his ankles. <BR><BR>The flute is depicted with unusual care. Usually, these were made of a cedar branch split lengthwise, then the pith and interior wood removed to create a resonance chamber. The two halves were then glued back together, and supporting leather thongs were tied tightly around the wood, the ends left to form a decorative fringe. The carved mouthpiece is represented, together with a bi-humped wooden stop. The flute is painted with the same red ocher as the man. A yellow-dyed eagle fluff hangs from a thong at the tip.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>“Sketches by an Indian---An Indian in ‘War Bonnet’ charging intrenched sic Soldiers.”<BR><BR>This Arapaho, armed only with a bow and arrows carried in the otterskin quiver slung at his left side, is charging three soldiers armed with carbines who are lying in a declivity, such as a buffalo wallow or low spot on the prairie. They appear to have lost their horses, and must have been surrounded. Protected by his leather shirt and war shield, both painted with mystical designs, the Arapaho has succeeded in running close enough to get off two arrows, one of which has struck a private in the lower leg. As he neared the enemy, one soldier fired literally in the Indian’s face, but his shot went wide. What might appear to be a “period” after the ink inscription at top is on the same trajectory as the blast of smoke from the carbine, and may instead represent the bullet. Most of the other inscriptions on these pages do not employ the use of a period.<BR><BR>The Arapaho wears red wool leggings with beaded strips, a breechcloth of dark-blue wool (shown as black), beaded moccasins and has a spectacular headdress made of golden eagle feathers laced to a long trailer of red wool. Additional, tiny feathers are attached along the base of the eagle feathers, designed to flutter when the man was in motion so as to distract the aim of enemies.<BR><BR>There were many encounters between Indian men and U.S. troops in this period; and in many of those the soldiers were surrounded and forced to entrench their position. It is not possible, therefore, to be certain of the precise event depicted here. However, the circumstances fit one of the most famous of such encounters, the annihilation by Arapaho warriors of a detachment led by Major Joel Elliot of the 7th Cavalry, during George Armstrong Custer’s attack on the Cheyenne village of Black Kettle at the Washita River, Indian Territory, November 28, 1868. The troops attacked at dawn, catching the village entirely by surprise. Large numbers of women and children fled along the river toward the east, running on foot through the snow. Major Elliot, who was Custer’s second in command, took 18 men including Sergeant-Major Kennedy, and shouting “Here’s for a brevet or a coffin!” charged out of the village after the refugees.<BR><BR>Unknown to Elliot, or any of the other soldiers, large allied villages of Arapaho and Kiowa were about three miles away, and hundreds of their warriors were riding toward the sound of firing at the Cheyenne village. Elliot’s little force ran directly into this relief party, were surrounded, and quickly forced to abandon their horses and seek cover in a low washout near the river. Within minutes they had been overrun and wiped out. Both Arapaho and Kiowa were involved, but the Arapaho reached the scene first, and an Arapaho war chief named Big Cow was very prominent in this fighting and is credited with killing Major Elliot.<BR><BR>The graphite pencil captions at bottom and upper right were added much later, during the late-20th century, possibly by Dr. Carl Dentzel, Director of the Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, to whom these drawings once belonged. The reference to the drawings being “very valuable” reflects the period post-1970. Prior to that, the cultural and artistic value of Indian drawings was entirely unappreciated, and ledger drawings had little commercial value.<BR><BR><BR>“A warrior or soldier band driving the different camps in to medicine.”<BR><BR>The term “Medicine” here refers to a religious ceremony, undoubtedly the Sun Dance, which all tribal members were expected to attend. This was the only time during the year when the entire tribe might be assembled together. The nomadic lifestyle demanded that the different bands scatter out to hunt in different areas, else they would quickly deplete the game and all would starve. It was standard practice for the chiefs to send parties of young warriors out to inform the scattered bands of the time and location for the ceremony. These couriers were also deputized marshals whose word was considered law. The summons could not be ignored. Usually all were eager to enjoy the festivities and to see relatives and friends. Occasionally, other opportunities---a nearby herd of buffalo; or word of enemies within striking distance---might tempt a band leader to ignore the tribal summons. On such rare occasions, the messengers became police who whipped the recalcitrant leader, and forced all members of his band to accompany them.<BR><BR>A beautiful yellow war shield is shown at center right, with the figure of a green buffalo amid four red circles marking the Great Directions. This is very similar to the Arapaho shield of Runs Medicine referred to earlier (Denver Public Library, Neg. No. H-461).<BR><BR>All nine of the horses depicted are bridled with headstalls decorated with plaques and conchos of nickel-silver, prestige items that came into vogue on the Southern Plains following the introduction of nickel-silver in mass quantity in 1866.<BR><BR> “Pawnee --- Cheyenne”<BR><BR>A charging Arapaho warrior spears a pedestrian Pawnee in the groin. The Pawnee , armed with a bow and arrows carried in a quiver of tanned and fringed leather, has overshot his attacker twice. Note that the Arapaho appears to be more concerned with protecting his horse than himself---the war shield is covering the horse’s heart.<BR><BR>“The one behind has his horse killed.”<BR><BR>Four U.S. cavalrymen are chasing two Arapaho men riding the same horse. As the caption tells us, the second rider has lost his own mount and is being rescued in the teeth of the cavalry charge. The lead rider’s name glyph indicates sound issuing from a man’s mouth. There are numerous possibilities: calling, crying, praying, singing, etc. Probably we cannot be certain of his identity. The shield he carries, with concentric black and green circles and a red center is a type known from other Arapaho drawings. <BR><BR>At least one, actual shield of this type has survived. It was documented with wool perimeter drape and pendant feathers in a 1930 photograph (Curtis, 1930: facing page 146). The same shield, now lacking the drape and feathers, was auctioned recently (Bonham’s, 2006: Lot No. 5206). The collection information is that it was made by the Arapaho Chief White Crown; then owned by Left Hand, Head Chief of the Southern Arapaho; inherited by Grant Left Hand, described as “grandson of the shield maker”; then sold to a W.R. Black of Watonga, Oklahoma. That shield is identical to the one portrayed here, except that the black outline of a rabbit is drawn in the central, red circle; and this is framed with a circle of wrapped leather attached to the face of the shield, probably originally rabbit fur, the hair now eaten away. Rabbits were the preferred bait of choice when capturing eagles in pit traps. The sense of placing rabbit images, or rabbit parts at the center of these shields, is that enemies will be trapped as easily as eagles.<BR><BR>Due to the corner trimming all of these pages have undergone, which removed the page numbers, it is impossible to reconstruct the original order of the drawings. The fact that this soldier drawing is on the BACK of another page means that it relates to whatever page was originally facing it in the ledger, which probably now is lost, or at least no longer associated with the collection. Here a cavalry corporal or perhaps a sergeant---if the artist ad-libbed the chevrons, has been shot in the head and killed by an unseen, Arapaho horseman. the tracks of this rider's horse are shown passing the body. The trajectory of the bullet as it struck the man's head is shown; that is, the soldier was on the ground and the Arapaho fired down at him. The uniform, cartridge belt, primer cap pouch (worn at the rear of the belt) and the 1861-model Remington "Old Army" revolver (compare the photo in Lot 679-013-414--Gray Leggings, I expect the number has been changed, now ) are shown in such careful detail, because the Arapaho captured them, along with the uniform. It would have been this triumphant, Arapaho self portrait, with smoking rifle or pistol in hand, which appeared on the facing page.<BR><BR>“Pawnees running 2 Cheyennes. One of them has his horse killed on opposite page.”<BR><BR>The reference to the drawing of a horse “on opposite page” of course refers to a page in the original ledger, now perhaps lost. This indicates that Ben Clark added the ink inscriptions when the ledger was still intact.<BR><BR>The Arapaho artist, probably the lead rider, created this composition to document his rescue of a companion under enemy fire, one of the most praiseworthy war accomplishments. When the other Arapaho’s horse was killed his partner turned back to swing the friend up behind him. The added weight, however, has slowed the roan horse considerably, and all are taking severe injuries. The horse is deeply wounded in the left haunch and left shoulder. A third arrow has lodged under the left cheek strap of its bridle. The rescued man has arrows in the back of his neck, through his left shoulder and through his left shin. The artist has an arrow lodged through the fur of his otterskin turban, though the lack of blood indicates he has not been wounded. Three other arrows have whizzed by without striking anything. The leading pursuer has just fired his carbine at the Arapahoes---note the blast of blue smoke in front of the muzzle---but apparently has missed.<BR><BR>The rescued Arapaho carries a beautiful war shield with a painted design of two, black Thunderbirds---the avatars of War. The lower half of the shield simulates rain, with a design of blue stripes. In most Plains Indian societies the Thunders---whether conceived of as huge birds or in anthropomorphic form---provided the leitmotif of warfare. Lightning was seen as the “arrows of the Thunder”. The aspiration of every warrior was to have arrows which were as deadly and effective. This is the reason that most Plains Indian arrows have zigzag lines engraved along the shaft. The most successful warriors were those who in visionary prayer had been adopted by the Thunders. This boon conferred the ability to “blink death” like the Thunderbirds, hence to always be successful in battle. For some, this ability to shoot lightning from the eyes was believed to be imparted also to their horses. Here, we see the artist’s belief that the steeds of his pursuers have obtained this supernatural ability. Nonetheless, the Arapahoes’ collective power proved greater, for they ultimately escaped.<BR><BR>For a further discussion of these concepts together with a facsimile of this drawing see Cowdrey, Martin & Martin, 2006: 6-11 & Fig. 2.2.<BR><BR> No written text: Indian man with shield walking away from group of soldiers firing at him. <BR><BR>Fifteen U.S. infantry soldiers with two, mounted officers fire a fusillade at a lone, Arapaho warrior. He has run out from the cover of a rock or ravine---indicated by the dotted line of his footprints---fired a single bullet which missed and is exiting the scene at upper left---then the Arapaho reversed his course and is seen retreating to cover. The fusillade, however, has temporarily disarmed many of the soldiers. That was the purpose of the Arapaho’s seemingly foolhardy advance. Momentarily, a crowd of his fellow tribesman will erupt in a charge on the soldiers’ position.<BR><BR>The long, caped, winter greatcoats worn by the soldiers tell us the season. Snow covers the ground, so the Arapaho’s trail really DID appear as a dotted line of black tracks on a snow-white page.<BR><BR>The Arapaho wears a long string of expensive and fashionable nickel-silver hair plates suspended from his scalplock. Before beginning his charge, he tucked the end up into his belt, so that it could not trip him while he was running. The man’s war shield is covered by a plain, white-leather cover. To this, two triangular, black objects are affixed. These may represent the cut ears of a black bear, a favorite shield decoration among both the Arapaho and their Cheyenne cousins.<BR><BR>References:<BR><BR>Bonham’s Auctions<BR>2006 <I>Native American, Pre-Columbian and Tribal Art</B></I>. Sale No. 14, 044, Dec. 4, San Francisco.<BR><BR>Cowdrey, Mike and Ned and Jody Martin<BR>2006 <I>American Indian Horse Masks</B></I>. Nicasio: Hawk Hill Press.<BR><BR>Curtis, E.S.<BR>1930 <I>The North American Indian</B></I>, Vol. 13: The Indians of Oklahoma. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.<BR><BR>Petersen, Karen Daniels and Jean Afton<BR><I>1988 American Pictographic Images: The Henderson Ledger</B></I>. Santa Fe: Morning Star Gallery.<BR><BR>Mike Cowdrey<BR>San Luis Obispos, CA<BR>September 2007<BR><BR><I>Dimensions: ranging from 5 3/4 x 10</B></I> to 5 3/4 x 13 inches<BR> <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Flat Material, Large (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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