Inside Front Cover [ Right ] 

Karl Bodmer made this print, likely in the 1830s, as an illustration of Indigenous artifacts. Bodmer's artwork provides a glimpse into the material culture of Indigenous peoples. This image, however, also participates in the 19th-century Western practice of documenting and classifying non-Western cultures. The print depicts a variety of objects, including clothing, weapons, and ceremonial items. The items shown reflect the daily life, belief systems, and artistic traditions of the represented tribes of the Great Plains. The print aestheticizes this culture, and implies the notion of vanishing cultures. These types of images can be analyzed through an engagement with historical and anthropological research. Scholars study the depiction of Indigenous peoples and analyze how these images shape our understanding of both art and society. This approach illuminates the complex interplay between art, culture, and history.