Artwork

Portfolio XVI, Plate 548: A Taos Woman

Portfolio XVI, Plate 548: A Taos Woman, by Edward S. Curtis, 1905
Portfolio XVI, Plate 548: A Taos Woman, by Edward S. Curtis, 1905

Portfolio XVI, Plate 548: A Taos Woman 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 photo was taken in 1905 by someone documenting people from Taos, a place in New Mexico.

This photo shows a woman wearing a light headscarf draped over her head. Her dark dress has a few small buttons near the collar. The background is plain and blurry, keeping focus on her face.

The photo was taken in 1905 by someone documenting people from Taos, a place in New Mexico. The artist wanted to record how these women looked and lived.

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

Overview

Portfolio XVI, Plate 548: A Taos Woman is a photographic work by Edward S. Curtis, created in 1905, and is part of the collection at The Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The photograph depicts a woman from Taos, New Mexico, wearing traditional attire, including a light headscarf and dark dress. The image focuses on her face, capturing her likeness against a blurred background.

Technique & Style

Curtis employed a photographic technique that emphasized the subject's features, using a plain and blurry background to draw attention to her face.

Context

The work is part of Curtis's documentation of the people of Taos, New Mexico, aiming to record their appearance and way of life.

Artist & collection

Artist

Edward S. Curtis

Edward S. Curtis (1868–1952) was an American artist.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.