Who painted Portfolio VIII, Plate 265: Black Eagle - Nez Percé?

Portfolio VIII, Plate 265: Black Eagle - Nez Percé was painted by Edward S. Curtis in 1905.

Where can I see Portfolio VIII, Plate 265: Black Eagle - Nez Percé?

Portfolio VIII, Plate 265: Black Eagle - Nez Percé is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

Portfolio VIII, Plate 265: Black Eagle - Nez Percé by Edward S. Curtis (1905)

Accession no.: 1995.203.28.10
Credit line: Presented by Mrs. James H. Hoyt, Elton Hoyt, II, and Mrs. Amasa Stone Mather in memory of James H. Hoyt

About this work

His hair is pulled back under a band, and he wears a necklace of round beads.

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with a serious expression. His hair is pulled back under a band, and he wears a necklace of round beads. The background is plain, so all focus stays on his face and shoulders.

The photo was taken to document Indigenous life in the early 1900s. The artist traveled across the U.S. to capture these images, often working with sitters for hours.

Next, check out the work of Edward S. Curtis (American, 1868–1952).

Overview

Portfolio VIII, Plate 265: Black Eagle - Nez Percé is a 1905 photogravure by Edward S. Curtis, depicting a portrait of a Nez Perce man identified as Black Eagle. The composition is a formal bust-length study set against a plain, dark background, directing all visual attention to the subject's face and upper torso. Black Eagle is portrayed with a serious, direct gaze, his hair pulled back and secured with a headband, while he wears a necklace of round beads.

This image was created as part of Curtis's monumental multi-volume project, The North American Indian, which aimed to document the cultures, customs, and appearances of Native American tribes before they were perceived to vanish. Produced during the peak of Curtis's career, the work exemplifies his signature style of combining artistic portraiture with ethnographic intent. The photogravure process allowed for rich tonal gradations, capturing the texture of the subject's skin and clothing with high fidelity.

As Plate 265 in Volume VIII, this specific print contributes to the broader historical record of the Nez Perce people, reflecting early 20th-century anthropological interests and the romanticized vision of Indigenous life that characterized Curtis's extensive body of work.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter is presented with a solemn expression, his hair gathered under a headband and a string of round beads encircling his neck. The plain backdrop eliminates distraction, directing attention to his facial features and traditional adornments, offering a dignified representation of Indigenous identity.

Technique & Style

Curtis employed the photographic processes of the early twentieth century, using controlled lighting and a static studio setting to achieve a sharp, high‑contrast image. The composition centers the figure’s shoulders and face, a hallmark of Curtis’s portraiture that emphasizes individual character.

History & Provenance

Taken during Curtis’s extensive fieldwork documenting Native American peoples, the photograph reflects his practice of spending prolonged periods with subjects to capture nuanced expressions. After its creation, the print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings, where it remains accessible to the public.

Context

The image belongs to a larger body of work produced by Curtis between 1900 and 1930, a period when he traveled across the United States to record the lives of Indigenous communities amid rapid cultural change. His photographs were intended both as ethnographic records and as artistic studies.