A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve: Studia Historiae Literarum et Artium, 4. (Szeged, 2004)

Nagy Imre: A Preliminary Report on the Friedman Kein Canvas

A Preliminary Report on the Friedman Kein Canvas IMRE NAGY (Ferenc Móra Museum, Szeged) While in New York during 2001-2002,1 had the privilege of studying an important visual document of Cheyenne Indian art-history in a private collection

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. In the present paper, I shall describe briefly the artwork in question; then, selecting two scenes from the series of war deeds, I shall present a preliminary analysis of these, illustrating the research potential of the Friedman Kein Canvas. The canvas is 160 cm (64") in height, and 394,3 cm ( 158") in width. It is sewn together in the midline along its horizontal axis from two equal-sized strips of white linen canvas. Fifteen battle scenes are depicted all along this horizontal axis in four registers. There are four scenes (six coups) in the uppermost row, five scenes (five coups) in the second row, three scenes (six coups) in the third row, and three scenes (six coups) in the lowermost row. The difference between the number of scenes and the number of coups is that in certain cases several deeds of one Native American hero are depicted in a single scene. Unfortunately nothing is known about the early history of the painted canvas. The earliest unpublished visual document of its existence is a photograph in the collection of Bill Holm

2 (Fig. 1). The photograph shows the late dean of Native American art studies, Norman Feder dressed in an Omaha beaded shirt and leggings, while in the background, part of the discussed painted canvas is visible. The photograph was made in 1961, and was used as a Christmas card. Bill Holm informed the author, that Norman Feder collected it in November, 1961 in Oklahoma. Unfortunately no details on the circumstances of the collection are available. Feder in his letter to Bill Holm dated the paintings circa 1870. The canvas was first published in the April 26, 1980 „American Indian and Eskimo Art" auction catalogue of Sotheby Parke Bennet, Inc. (Sale No. 4366). Lot #93 was the canvas in question, accompanied by the following description: Large Plains painted pictographic muslin, depicting an unknown historical account,

... eight Indians on horseback holding feathered shields and lances,

... numerous horses and scenes of pursuit and capture, some sketches unfinished; pencil and watercolor, colors: red, brown, pale blue, yellow and orange (Sotheby et. al. 1980: Lot #93). 1 I was an Andrew Mellon Art History Fellow at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, when I had this privilege. First of all, I wish to acknowledge Dr. Alvin E. Friedman Kein for permitting me to research this remarkable visual document and artwork. Next, I acknowledge the help and guidance of Julie Jones, Curator in Charge, Department of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, Metropolitan Museum of Art, during my one year fellowship. I have to mention my fellow Cheyenne scholars, Mike Cowdrey (San Luis Obispo, CA) and Winfield Coleman (San Francisco, CA) who continuously help my research with their advises and insightful opinions. 2

1 acknowledge the generosity of Bill Holm, sharing with me this photograph and details of his correspondence with Norman Feder. 101