Emily Richards: Fine Arts and Inspiration: Photographs from the Vanishing Race

For the Past 3 years I have been working at a Fine Art Gallery here in Aspen Colorado. Though I probably make less art working full time than being a full time art student, working at a gallery is a great way to stay inspired. Though we have a lot of really incredible artwork, I wanted to share the Vintage photography of Edward S Curtis for a bit of inspiration today as it is insanely beautiful but also very important work.

"Plate 028 Canon de Chelly- Navajo" 1904

With the support of President Roosevelt and the financial backing of J.P Morgan, Edward S. Curtis was able to produce a photo-ethnographic study that was (and still is to this day) widely regarded as the finest set of limited- edition books ever made in America. The North American Indian consists of twenty volumes and twenty portfolio sets. These exquisite books are hand bound in leather, written with hand-set letter press text, and illustrated with hand-pulled photogravure prints. Every page is printed on handmade imported paper. Edward S. Curtis would settle for nothing but the best for his massive project that took over 30 years and covered over 80 different tribes.