Artwork

Portfolio VIII, Plate 268: Piópio-Maksmaks, Profile - Wallawalla

Edward S. Curtis , 1905

Portfolio VIII, Plate 268: Piópio-Maksmaks, Profile - Wallawalla is a work on paper by Edward S. Curtis. It dates from 1905 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

The lighting is soft, mostly highlighting his face and shoulders while leaving the background dark.

This photo shows a man in profile, his face turned slightly away. He wears a feathered headdress, beaded necklaces, and a fur or cloth garment. The lighting is soft, mostly highlighting his face and shoulders while leaving the background dark.

The photo’s title says this is *Piópio-Maksmaks*, a member of the Wallawalla people. The artist took this picture in 1905 as part of a larger project documenting Indigenous cultures.

Check out Edward S. Curtis (American, 1868–1952) to see more of his work.

Overview

Portfolio VIII, Plate 268, titled “Piópio‑Maksmaks, Profile – Wallawalla,” is a photographic portrait taken in 1905 by American photographer Edward S. Curtis. The image is part of Curtis’s extensive visual record of Indigenous peoples and is currently in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait depicts Piópio‑Maksmaks, a member of the Wallawalla tribe, shown in profile with his head turned slightly away from the camera. He is adorned with a feathered headdress, beaded necklaces, and a fur‑ or cloth‑covered garment, emphasizing traditional attire and cultural identity.

Technique & Style

Curtis employed soft, directional lighting that isolates the sitter’s face and shoulders against a dark backdrop, creating a subtle contrast that highlights facial features and ornamental details. The composition balances a straightforward profile with a modest turn, lending a sense of dignity and intimacy to the portrait.

History & Provenance

Captured during Curtis’s 1905 fieldwork for his larger project documenting Native American cultures, the photograph later entered the holdings of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The museum acquired the work as part of its effort to preserve early ethnographic photography.

Context

The image belongs to a series of plates that collectively illustrate the diversity of Indigenous peoples across North America. Curtis’s broader project aimed to record languages, customs, and visual representations at a time when many communities faced rapid change.