Edward S. Curtis: One Hundred Masterworks

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Edward S. Curtis at Glenbow

One Hundred Masterworks is an extraordinary selection of vintage photographs of North American indigenous people by Edward S. Curtis.

Organized by the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography

Curated by Christoper Cardozo and Todd Brandow

The exhibition consists of both iconic and previously little known images. Over 100 years ago, Edward Curtis (born in 1868) set out on a monumental quest to make an unprecedented, comprehensive record of North America's indigenous people, resulting in 40,000-50,000 photographs. Today this work stands as a landmark in the history of photography, book publishing and the history of the American West.

This exhibition showcases prints created in seven different photographic print mediums. The photographs are complemented by objects and other ephemera that will both contextualize and enrich the masterworks. The different print mediums include photogravure, platinum, goldtone, toned and un-toned gelatin silver, cyanotype, and gold-toned printing-out paper prints, and the majority of the photographs will be the rarer, seldom seen, mediums. Including every style, subject matter, cultural/geographic area and medium Curtis worked in, One Hundred Masterworks was drawn from a collection comprised of over 3,000 vintage Curtis photographs and related objects. The prints are among the finest examples that exist and, in some cases, will be the only known example of a particular image. Viewed in its entirety, Curtis' work presents an historical record of enormous and irreplaceable importance.

This exhibition is supported by Consulate General of the United States of America Calgary, Canada