Who painted Portfolio IX, Plate 312: Evening on Puget Sound?

Portfolio IX, Plate 312: Evening on Puget Sound was painted by Edward S. Curtis in 1899.

Where can I see Portfolio IX, Plate 312: Evening on Puget Sound?

Portfolio IX, Plate 312: Evening on Puget Sound is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Portfolio IX, Plate 312: Evening on Puget Sound?

Portfolio IX, Plate 312: Evening on Puget Sound is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Portfolio IX, Plate 312: Evening on Puget Sound

Edward S. Curtis , 1899

Portfolio IX, Plate 312: Evening on Puget Sound is a work on paper by the Impressionist artist Edward S. Curtis. It dates from 1899 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Portfolio IX, Plate 312: Evening on Puget Sound is one of 150 photogravures in Edward S. Curtis’s multi-volume ethnographic project documenting Indigenous peoples of North America. Created in 1899, this image captures a quiet moment along the Puget Sound shoreline, part of Curtis’s broader effort to record cultural landscapes before they were transformed by colonization and modernization.

Subject & Meaning

Curtis intended these images to convey cultural dignity, though modern viewers often question the romanticized framing of Indigenous life.

The image portrays a solitary Indigenous figure standing near water at dusk, framed by misty trees and calm seas. No narrative is explicitly stated, but the composition evokes stillness and solitude, suggesting a connection between the individual and the natural environment. Curtis intended these images to convey cultural dignity, though modern viewers often question the romanticized framing of Indigenous life.

Technique & Style

Curtis used the photogravure process, a labor-intensive method combining photography and intaglio printing, to achieve rich tonal gradations and fine detail. The soft focus and muted palette reflect pictorialist aesthetics, prioritizing mood over documentary precision. This technique allowed for artistic control and repeated high-quality impressions, aligning with the project’s goal of producing a refined, book-length record.

History & Provenance

Created during Curtis’s early fieldwork for The North American Indian, this plate was printed as part of the ninth portfolio issued between 1907 and 1930. The Cleveland Museum of Art acquired it as part of its collection of early 20th-century photographic works, preserving it as a significant artifact of both ethnographic documentation and photographic history.

Context

Curtis worked during a period of intense cultural disruption for Native communities, as federal policies enforced assimilation and land displacement. His project emerged from a belief that Indigenous cultures were vanishing, prompting a rush to document them. While his images are now studied for their visual artistry, they are also critically examined for their role in shaping enduring stereotypes.

Legacy

Portfolio IX, Plate 312 remains a touchstone in the history of American photography and ethnography. It is frequently referenced in discussions about representation, authorship, and the ethics of documenting marginalized communities. Though criticized for its idealized tone, the work endures as a complex record of a moment when visual culture intersected with colonial narratives.