Sigesh - Apache, plate 6 (Portfolio 1) of "The North American Indian, volume 1, The Apache. The Jicarillas. The Navaho." Photogravure on Holland Van Gelder paper, printed by John Andrew & Son (established 1869). The young woman's hairstyle is indicative of the Apache girls' method of tying hair back prior to marriage. Presented in a custom frame with all archival materials and AR Glass (UV Protection/Anti-reflective), outer dimensions measure 28 x 23 ½ inches. Image size is 15 ¼ x 11 inches.
This haunting image of Sigesh (an Apache maiden) is plate 6 from portfolio 1 of Edward S. Curtis' magnum opus work, "The North American Indian Project." A thirty year endeavor, the project, which was started in 1900, documents over 80 Native American tribes living west of the Mississippi between Alaska and Mexico. The North American Indian consisted of 20 volumes, each with 75 hand-pressed photogravures and 300 pages of text. A corresponding portfolio was included with each volume which contained large photogravures such as this one.
Provenance: Private Collection Denver, Colorado