Warrior Artists
Subtitle: Historic Cheyenne and Kiowa Indian Ledger Art drawn by Making Medicine and Zotom
By: by Herman J. Viola ; with commentary by Joseph D. and George P. Horse Capture.
Contributors: Making Medicine.; Zotum.; Horse Capture, George P.; Horse Capture, Joseph D.; National Geographic Society (U.S.)
Edition: First printing
Publisher: National Geographic Society
Published: 1998
Place of publication: Washington, D.C.
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 125
ISBN-13: 9780792273707
Copyright date: 1998
Subjects: Making Medicine; Zotum; Cheyenne art; Kiowa art; Red River War, 1874-1875
Other titles: Warrior Artists
Description: An artistic community unique in American history flourished in St. Augustine, Florida, between 1875 and 1878. Some 70 Plains Indians, imprisoned for their refusal to accept life on the reservations, produced an extraordinary body of work that chronicled their history, their lives, and their experience of exile from the freedom so central to their heritage. Called “ledger art” after the large lined books that in most cases were the first form of paper they used, these remarkable pencil and ink depictions are vivid evocations of a poignant chapter in American history.

A superbly annotated reproduction of one such ledger, originally presented to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in the late 19th century, WARRIOR ARTISTS is alive with color and movement, and presents more than 50 eloquent drawings by two of the finest practitioners of this traditional narrative art. -- front flap.

Zotom’s rich and vivid drawings preserve the proud and tragic story of the American Indian people; for what happened to one group happened to all of us. But not all tribes were as fortunate to have had a warrior artist like Zotom, who recorded this compelling chapter of his tribe’s history with such detail, accuracy, and skill. His drawings are exceptional. 

In addition to making us feel outraged by the treatment of these human beings who were only fighting for their way of life, WARRIOR ARTISTS enables us to appreciate the sad dignity of the Indian people, and the genius of Zotom and his unique style. -- George P. Horse Capture, National Museum of the American Indian

A selection of the Book of the Month Club
Table of contents: label: Herman J. Viola
title: Captive artists, compelling art; title: Drawings by Making Medicine, Cheyenne prisoner, Castle San Marco, St. Augustine, Fla., August, 1876; title: Scenes in the life of an Indian prisoner by Zotom (Biter), Kiowa warrior, Fort Marion, Florida, Mch [March], 1877