COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
Record
AMICA ID:
MIA_.89.91
AMICA Library Year:
1999
Object Type:
Costume and Jewelry
Creator Nationality:
North American; Native American; Crow
Creator Role:
artist
Creator Name-CRT:
Apsaalooka (Crow)
Title:
Painted Bison Robe
View:
Front
Creation Date:
about 1860
Creation Start Date:
1850
Creation End Date:
1870
Materials and Techniques:
bison hide with pigments
Classification Term:
robe
Dimensions:
H.80 x W.90 in., irregular
Component Measured:
overall
Measurement Unit:
in
AMICA Contributor:
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Owner Location:
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
ID Number:
89.91
Credit Line:
Gift of Jud and Lisa Dayton
Context:
In the 19th century, Plains military men wore buffalo robes painted with images of their battles and exploits, testifying to their valor in war. On this Apsaalooka robe, scenes of combat fill the lower half, while across the top an Apsaalooka man leads away horses stolen from the enemy, a practice as honored and dangerous as actual combat.
Details of the men's dress and hairstyles show their tribal identity and status within the group: Apsaalooka men, for example, wore their hair in a distinctive topknot. Generations of use have somewhat obscured the images on this robe, but it remains an important record of individual valor and achievement.
Related Image Identifier Link:
MIA_.9706c.tif
