Edward S. Curtis
(1868 - 1952)
A Navaho Child, 1903
platinum print
In negative at lower left on print recto: X972
Copyright Info in the negative, lower left on print recto: COPYRIGHT 1903 BY E. S. CURTIS
Studio copyright sticker at lower left on mount verso
In black ink on mount verso: Navaho Child

Negative Date: 1903
Print Date: ca. 1903
Navaho, Southwest
Unpublished

This compelling portrait of a young Navaho child was made in 1903, at the beginning of Curtis’ career. Curtis’ platinum prints of children are very rare and this one is particularly evocative and direct. The child looks directly at the camera and is clothed in a simple blanket. It is believed that fewer than 1 in 500 Curtis platinum prints are of children. With its original mounts, this is an unusually desirable example. This print was included in the ground-breaking exhibition, “Sacred Legacy: Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indian”, which traveled throughout Europe in the early 2000’s. This print was created by hand in Curtis’ Seattle studio, and may be unique.
7 9/16 x 5 9/16 in. (19.21 x 14.13 cm.), Double Mount: 8 1/4 x 6 1/16 in. (20.96 x 15.40 cm.)
Edward Curtis Studio
Private Collection(s)
The Christopher G. Cardozo Collection, 1999

Exhibited:
Sacred Legacy: Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indian (95 print exhibit), 2000

The print and vintage original mounts are in excellent condition overall. A formal, detailed condition report is available upon request.

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