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Anonymous Plains Indian drawings

National Museum of Natural History

Object Details

Local Numbers
USNM Accession 028804 NAA MS 28804
Collector
Bell, James M. (James Montgomery), 1837-1919
Place
North America
Collector
Bell, James M. (James Montgomery), 1837-1919
Culture
Sioux
See more items in
Anonymous Plains Indian drawings
Biographical Note
James Montgomery Bell (1837-1919) was an officer in the U.S. Army and was posted at Poplar River with the Seventh Cavalry from 1880-1882.
Extent
9 Drawings (visual works) (pencil and colored pencil, laminated)
Date
circa 1880-1882
Custodial History
The drawings were received from James M. Bell as part of a larger collection of objects in 1894 (USNM Accession 28804). The drawings were transferred from the object collections of the Department of Anthropology to the National Anthropological Archives in 1969.
Archival Repository
National Anthropological Archives
Identifier
NAA.MS28804
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings (visual works)
Works of art
Ledger drawings
Drawings
Rights
Contact the repository for terms of use.
Genre/Form
Works of art
Ledger drawings
Drawings
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of nine (9) drawings on 8 sheets of paper by an unidentified artist. The drawings were collected by James M. Bell. Bell described them as: "Drawings on Paper, Poplar River, Mont, Captive Sioux, 8." He described other materials from Poplar River which came from Gall's band of Sioux, who surrendered there in 1881. The drawings seem consistent with that origin. Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
Restrictions
The collection is open for research. Access to the collection requires an appointment.
Related Materials
The National Anthropological Archives holds other drawings which may be by the same artist in MS 384176 and MS 384177. The Department of Anthropology object collections holds artifacts collected by James M. Bell in Accession 28804.
Related link
Record ID
ebl-1678211102343-1678211102814-0
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nw32ac41c65-6599-4ee9-bee8-d6b2c5007182

In the Collection

  • Elk

  • Four buffalo, with one defecating

  • Five men on horseback, and a sixth holding his horse

  • A man on horseback with a shield and lance

  • Two men on horseback

  • Tipi camp set up adjacent to two buildings and a line of wall tents

  • Row of five trees with animals at their bases and birds perched on top

  • A human figure and two bears, one smoking a pipe

  • Two men dancing, with one holding a scalp

Anonymous Plains Indian drawing of four buffalo, with one defecating
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer
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