DOI Heft:
Nr. 341 (October 1925)
DOI Artikel:Comstock, Helen: Langdon Kihn, Indian painter
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19986#0055
mCSRHAClOnAL
AN INDIAN WOMAN OF THE KULDO TRIBE BY W. LANGDON KIHN
neck. Her blanket is one of the frequently used munity and it has certain aspects which make it
button blankets in which rows of buttons mark sound like an extreme form of socialism,
out geometric patterns or designs of a more Mr. Kihn finds his Indian subjects quite
naturalistic character. picturesque enough without making any additions
"Messenger" a medicine man of the Gitwinkool from his own fancy. He is one of those rare artists
tribe (whose headdress of mountain goat horns who is able to harmonize the requirements of
inlaid with abalone shell bears the Raven crest) pictorial art with accuracy of statement. His
is, like many of these Indians, blind. The per- work is especially to be commended for the fine
centage of blindness is abnormally high. The draughtsmanship displayed. In the crayon por-
artist tells of one old man, blind, who was brought traits, which seem to be his finest works, one
some twenty miles to pose for him and who made likes the extreme sensitivity of the modeling and
the trip back through the wilderness alone. the bold definiteness of line. Quite apart from
The "robes of state" in which some of Mr. their decorative value and their fine color these
Kihn's subjects are arrayed are used for dances, pictures have unusual value as portraits; to Mr.
feasts and ceremonials, the most popular of which Kihn these members of an alien and incompre-
is known as a potlach. A potlacb is at once a poli- hensible race are of exceeding interest and his
tical and economic force in the life of the com- pictures of them recreate them for us.
OCTOBER I925
fifty -Jive
AN INDIAN WOMAN OF THE KULDO TRIBE BY W. LANGDON KIHN
neck. Her blanket is one of the frequently used munity and it has certain aspects which make it
button blankets in which rows of buttons mark sound like an extreme form of socialism,
out geometric patterns or designs of a more Mr. Kihn finds his Indian subjects quite
naturalistic character. picturesque enough without making any additions
"Messenger" a medicine man of the Gitwinkool from his own fancy. He is one of those rare artists
tribe (whose headdress of mountain goat horns who is able to harmonize the requirements of
inlaid with abalone shell bears the Raven crest) pictorial art with accuracy of statement. His
is, like many of these Indians, blind. The per- work is especially to be commended for the fine
centage of blindness is abnormally high. The draughtsmanship displayed. In the crayon por-
artist tells of one old man, blind, who was brought traits, which seem to be his finest works, one
some twenty miles to pose for him and who made likes the extreme sensitivity of the modeling and
the trip back through the wilderness alone. the bold definiteness of line. Quite apart from
The "robes of state" in which some of Mr. their decorative value and their fine color these
Kihn's subjects are arrayed are used for dances, pictures have unusual value as portraits; to Mr.
feasts and ceremonials, the most popular of which Kihn these members of an alien and incompre-
is known as a potlach. A potlacb is at once a poli- hensible race are of exceeding interest and his
tical and economic force in the life of the com- pictures of them recreate them for us.
OCTOBER I925
fifty -Jive