1909 Rotogravure Flute Gods Native American Indian Stairway Desert Lovers FOG1

This is an original 1909 sepia rotogravure from the The Flute of the Gods, a narrative about the early meetings between the southwest American Indians and the Spanish colonists. The caption reads "She Led Him Up the Ancient Stairway".

Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) was a well-known photographer and documentarian of the Native American peoples, including their tribal lore, customs, and history. After a messy divorce (during which he smashed a lot of his equipment so it his ex-wife couldn't acquire it), he went to Hollywood with his daughter. It was there that he worked with Cecile B. DeMille as an assistant cameraman, selling off his other projects as a dissatisfying way to make money. His most well-known work is The North American Indian, however he eventually had to sell the rights to it in order to make ends meet. His images are often criticized for being poor representations of actual Native American culture as he often staged his shots and edited out all evidence of western gadgets such as parasols and clocks.

CONDITION

This 102+ year old Item is rated Very Fine +. Light aging throughout. Light wrinkling. No natural defects. No surface rub. No tears. Light water stain - bottom left corner.

• Product Type: Original Rotogravure; Sepia
• Grade: Very Fine +
• Dimensions: Approximately 4.5 x 6.75 inches; 11 x 17 cm
• Authentication: Serial-Numbered Certificate of Authenticity w/ Full Provenance
• Protection: Packaged in a custom archival sleeve with an acid-free black board (great for display, gift-giving, and preservation)

Period Paper is excited to offer a rare collection of original rotogravures from an autographed, limited edition copy (102 of 500) of The Flute of the Gods by Marah Ellis Ryan. These original rotogravure illustrations are virtually unseen online in such incredible condition and print quality.

Photography by Edward S. Curtis.

FOG1C09