We are both a little overwhelmed by the reception we have had with our attempt at a house tour. It’s a combination of flattering and Scarry-As-Hell to discover that pictures of our house have been copied and posted on other sites. Check out Houzz, Pinterest, Color Outside The Lines, and Alamodeus. Now I’m talking about the pictures OTHER people have posted……(clears throat) not just us,(clears throat… again)
We just hope that we can live up to all the expectations……
Now something we really didn’t expect …..was all the questions about our giant Indian canvas in the den.
Cher, here’s a better shot just for you.
He is Chief Sitting Bear by the famed American photographer Edward Sheriff Curtis…..Seen here…..
One of my all time favorite photographers….and I really dig his sweet stache and choice of headwear.
Curtis spent his life photographing the native American people. Originally financed by J P Morgan who produced a 20 volume set with over 1,500 photos titled “The North American Indian”. Curtis’ goal was not just to photograph, but to document, as much American Indian (Native American) traditional life as possible before that way of life completely disappeared. He took over 40,000 photographic images from over 80 tribes in the difficult gravure process that gave the sepia photos an almost 3 dimensional quality. Curtis also wrote biographical sketches of tribal leaders, and his material, in most cases, is the only recorded history of that tribe. He is also credited with producing almost 10,000 audio recordings of native speech and song.
He was often harshly criticised for removing modern items, like clocks and umbrellas, from photos and for stereotyping his subjects by posing them in costumes. Ultimately, his opus took twenty-five years to complete, bankrupting him and draining himself both physically and emotionally. Curtis eventually lost the bulk of his Native American negatives to his wife in a divorce settlement, most of which he destroyed rather than give up to her. Lecturing extensively to solicit financial support for his work led him to a nervous breakdown in 1930. He died almost penny-less at his daughter’s house in 1952 with a majority of his documentation not even seen by public eyes – until its discovery in a Boston basement in 1972.
Now you can buy his images printed on nylon scrim at Ikea.
Just like we did a few years ago.
THE CAVENDER DIARY 
My cousin Greg had several original OLD Curtis lithographs… The editions he had were rare, and I think he was selling them on eBay about 16 years ago, for around 700-1500 each. He left one at my house for awhile. The Vanderbilt house… We should have bought some! He had a whole portfolio of them.. He used to win them in poker games…
I remember that Greg had some, you told me that in one picture the Indian had a Teddy Roosevelt pin. Teddy was one of Curtis’s financial sponsors, and dear friend, and he even wrote the forward in one of his books. That pin is the exact kind of the thing Curtis was accused of “Staging”.
I love the combination of the photo of Chief Sitting Bear & the Texas flag. Thank you for the inspiration that I can use to combine Idaho & Texas in our den. Now I just have to find a good photo of Cheif Joseph of the Nez Perce.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful home, it is a true inspiration.
I’ve been totally sucked in to your amazing house/blog during my Christmas holiday. So, thanks for that, but also wanted to mention that Native American sculptures/lamps are popping up everywhere here in the Pacific Northwest. There are some great pieces at my local consignment if you want me to take pics for you. My fleeting passion at the moment is bronze bird bookends, but I would have died for that IKEA scrim.
AAW Tiffany, you are so sweet. That scrim was 30 bucks and I bought it not even having a place for him. He was rolled up in a closet for a year before we moved here and I built a frame to strech him on. Wish I had bought a dozen because people ask about him all the time. Dallas has a pretty fair amount of “Native” themed items as well.
Pingback: “The New Normal” Set for Sale « The Cavender Diary
Pingback: We Found Him! « The Cavender Diary
I am dying to find the IKEA scrim! I have searched several internet sites. I live in the Dallas area. Any suggestions of where I could find it for resale? I just love that whole room! I am re-doing my son’s room and I want Sitting Bear behind his bed. Love your stye! Thanks much!
Shannon, I did a quick search online and couldn’t find a single image. I bought him a few years ago and had him in a closet till we bought this house and there was wall space. Have you ever painted by projection before….http://burlapanddenim.com/2011/11/wall-mural-drama-part-3-paint-by-numbers-delicate-arch/ my friend Amanda did this in her basement…..could be cool to do the indian on your son’s wall.
Pingback: Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher | The Cavender Diary
Pingback: Carter Was Framed, | THE CAVENDER DIARY
So, I was lucky enough to find one of these at a thrift store recently and I just had to come back and find your post that I’d seen so long ago! I have question…how on Earth did you mount this on a canvas? Mine has been rolled up because I’ve been at a loss for how to display him properly. I was considering taking it to a frame shop but have a feeling it might be in the hundreds to get this all framed up (plus, my house is more Restoration Hardware meets industrial so I don’t really like the idea of a fancy frame). Tell me your secret, please!!! 🙂
I built a huge stretcher frame with 2×2’s and stretched a drop cloth over it with a staple gun …….then just stapled the Indian scrim over that……suppose I should have shown the process, but it was early in the blog. I’m going to make a simple black frame for him soon ( bought the wood already) maybe I’ll show that ……..wish I had more, people offer to buy him all the time
Thank you for the info, that’s extremely helpful!
I know! When I first saw this piece on your blog, I looked all over the internet trying to find one to no avail. A couple years later and he’s just hanging in a thrift store…must have been my lucky day! 🙂
Hello James. I’m trying to determine the dimensions of your Chief Sitting Bear. I love the scale and would like to somehow replicate it. After you stretched it over your frame, what was the final size of the piece?
Thank you! Love your home and style.
Sorry Deb, I’ve been out of town the past week and haven’t had a chance to measure for you. The final stretched canvas is 54″ X 78″. Of course, the scrim is slightly larger than that so it can wrap around the frame. Is’t he the coolest? Can you believe that I got him at Ikea? 7 years ago…and only 30 bucks. Wish I had a dozen more….I would have sold them all by now.
I finally got around to hanging my very own chief sitting bear…wanted to share with you guys! Thanks for the inspiration!
He looks fantastic! Makes me want another one!
i will like to have it 5′ x 6 1/2′ Hanging Print of “Sitting Bear” by Edward S Curtis is it for sale ?
Hi MArt, I bought that scrim at Ikea about 6 yeas ago…wish I had a dozen, ’cause I’d have sold them all by now. Happy Hunting.
Where did you get this wall hanging of chief sitting bear?
It’s from ikea, but it’s been a long time.
Love this look. I keep coming back to it over and over. 🙂 Can you please tell me the dimensions of your Chief Sitting Bear? I found a similar photo from the Smithsonian archives and would like to have it transferred to canvas.
I keep hunting for this IKEA wall hanging after all these years but to no avail! If anyone out there is downsizing and wants to sell theirs…
If you go to the Library of Congress (link below) you should be able to download this picture (free) in a format you can use to make you own picture – via an online service that takes your pictures and creates a print or something on canvas. http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3c19357/
Excellent idea! Thank you!
I have been searching for one of these IKEA wallhangings for years to no avail! Surely people are downsizing and want rid of theirs? I NEED one! Lol!