Who painted Portfolio XVII, Plate 596: Ambrosio Martínez - San Juan?

Portfolio XVII, Plate 596: Ambrosio Martínez - San Juan was painted by Edward S. Curtis in 1905.

Where can I see Portfolio XVII, Plate 596: Ambrosio Martínez - San Juan?

Portfolio XVII, Plate 596: Ambrosio Martínez - San Juan is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

Artwork

Portfolio XVII, Plate 596: Ambrosio Martínez - San Juan

Edward S. Curtis , 1905

Portfolio XVII, Plate 596: Ambrosio Martínez - San Juan 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. Portfolio XVII, Plate 596, titled “Ambrosio Martínez – San Juan,” is a photographic portrait taken by Edward S.

About this work

His expression is serious, and the lighting makes his face stand out against a dark background.

This is a close-up portrait of a man with long, straight hair tied back. He wears a light-colored shirt with small dots and a dark collar, plus a beaded necklace. His expression is serious, and the lighting makes his face stand out against a dark background.

The photo looks like it was taken a long time ago, with a soft, faded quality. The name "Ambrosio Martínez - San Juan" is written at the bottom.

Check out the work of Edward S. Curtis (American, 1868–1952) for more portraits like this.

Overview

Portfolio XVII, Plate 596, titled “Ambrosio Martínez – San Juan,” is a photographic portrait taken by Edward S. Curtis in 1905. The image forms part of Curtis’s extensive series of plates documenting Indigenous peoples of North America and is presently in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait presents a man with long, straight hair pulled back, wearing a light‑colored shirt patterned with small dots, a dark collar, and a beaded necklace. His expression is solemn, and the composition isolates him against a dark backdrop, emphasizing his facial features and cultural attire.

Technique & Style

Curtis employed early 20th‑century photographic processes that yield a soft, slightly faded tonal quality. The lighting is directional, casting the subject’s face in clear relief while the background recedes into shadow, a hallmark of his documentary portraiture.

History & Provenance

Created during Curtis’s fieldwork in the early 1900s, the plate was later incorporated into his published portfolios. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition (date not specified), where it remains accessible for study and exhibition.

Context

The image belongs to a broader effort by Curtis to record the lives and appearances of Native peoples at a time of rapid cultural change. The inclusion of the name “Ambrosio Martínez – San Juan” identifies the sitter, linking the work to a specific individual and community.