Who painted Portfolio I, Plate 4: Apache-Land?

Portfolio I, Plate 4: Apache-Land was painted by Edward S. Curtis in 1903.

Where can I see Portfolio I, Plate 4: Apache-Land?

Portfolio I, Plate 4: Apache-Land is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

Artwork

Portfolio I, Plate 4: Apache-Land

Edward S. Curtis , 1903

Portfolio I, Plate 4: Apache-Land is a work on paper by Edward S. Curtis. It dates from 1903 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Edward S.

About this work

Overview

Edward S. Curtis’s photograph titled *Portfolio I, Plate 4: Apache‑Land* was produced in 1903. The image is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection and belongs to a larger series of plates assembled by the photographer.

Subject & Meaning

The picture captures a small group of riders moving across an arid, rocky terrain. A man in a dark hat and long coat leads, his horse bearing a saddlebag, while three companions follow in lighter attire. The surrounding hills and sparse trees frame the scene, suggesting a remote, open landscape.

Technique & Style

Curtis employed a soft, diffused lighting that renders the shadows subtle and integrates them with the background. The composition balances the linear motion of the horses with the stillness of the land, characteristic of early twentieth‑century documentary photography.

History & Provenance

Created during Curtis’s extensive fieldwork among Native American peoples, the plate was later incorporated into his published portfolios. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s photographic archives.