작품 상세

EDWARD S. CURTIS. Plate 14 The Morning Bath - Apache, 1906. 11.3x15.6" image on 13.75x17.25" copper photogravure plate. Plate date 1907. From Portfolio 1, Apache & Navaho, of The North American Indian. Engraved on plate recto: Plate 14 / The Morning Bath - Apache / From Copyright Photograph 1906 by E.S. Curtis / Photogravure John Andrew & Son. Curtis wrote about this image: "The Apache, old and young alike, are particularly fond of bathing, and make the most of every opportunity to have a swim. They call it "a swim" regardless of how shallow the water may be, just so long as they can wash their bodies." To make the photogravure prints from the negative Curtis created a glass positive, that he would edit on and then working with the great photogravure printing companies in Boston, John Andrew & Son that became Suffolk Engraving Company, they made over 2200 copper plates from which the photogravures were to be printed. These plates were then steel faced for small printing runs then refaced, preserving the original image that was etched into the copper plate. Aesthetically they are brilliant shiny copper almost gold like aesthetic objects on which the image glows; they have sold for as much as $700,000. As opposed the edition of approximately 300 photogravures that were made from each plate and open edition chemical prints Curtis made in his studios, these are unique photographic objects.