Arapahoe portrait

Description

This Arapahoe portrait hex tile reproduces an 1898 platinum print portrait of an Arapahoe woman photographed under the name Freckled Face, wearing an elaborately beaded and shell-adorned dress.

The detail across her clothing is extraordinary. Rows of dentalium shells cover the shoulders and sleeves, layered necklaces made of beadwork and bone hairpipe fall across her chest, and a beaded choker sits at her throat. Her expression is steady and direct, meeting the camera without performance. Portraits like this one were part of a broader documentary project photographing Native American subjects at the turn of the century, and this particular print holds up as a genuinely striking piece of portraiture on its own merits.

I included this piece because the craftsmanship in her regalia deserves to be seen clearly, not shrunk down in a textbook photo. Printed at a real size, the beadwork and shell work actually read the way they were meant to.

This tile fits well in a study, a living room, or any wall built around historical portraiture and craftsmanship. Pair it with one of my hexagon frames for a finished presentation.

Available from 1.5 inches up to 18 inches.