Cattle Brand c. 1936

J. Henry Marley made this image of a cattle brand with pen and ink. Born in 1855, Marley lived through a period of immense change in the United States, including the expansion into and development of the American West. Cattle brands are more than just identifiers; they are symbols deeply embedded in the history of land ownership and economic activity. In a social landscape marked by conflict over resources, the image of the cattle brand operates as a signifier of power. The branding iron was a tool in defining and defending property rights, and these rights often came at the expense of Indigenous populations. This simple image is a reminder of the complex narratives and power dynamics that shaped the American West, and how identity and ownership are physically marked onto the land and its resources.