American Indian portraits

"This group of extraordinary portrait photographs of Indians, taken just before World War I, lay buried in neglected files for more than fifty years -- a forgotten byproduct of the third Rodman Wanamaker expedition to the American Indian. Even the name of the photographer who took the pictures is not known for certain. They are credited to the expedition leader, Dr. Joseph K. Dixon. In any case, they come close, as few other such pictures have done to "capturing the Indians' souls," as Life magazine has said in a recent article. There are 120 portraits altogether, beautifully printed in their original size, of representative Indian men, women and children from tribes across the country in 1913. Individually, each is striking and memorable; collectively they offer a composite portrait of a people dispossessed and resigned, yet of dignity unimpaired."--Book jacket.