Hómach-Ksáchkum, Kootenai Man

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Artist

Karl Bodmer

Birth and death dates

1809 - 1893

Artist Nationality

Swiss

Title

Hómach-Ksáchkum, Kootenai Man

Date

August 19, 1833

Dimensions

12 5/8 × 10 1/16 in. (32.1 × 25.6 cm)

Medium

Watercolor and graphite on paper

Institution

Joslyn Art Museum

Credit Line

Gift of the Enron Art Foundation

Accession Number

1986.49.306

Rights (i.e. copyright information)

Joslyn Art Museum

Photographer credit

Photograph © Bruce M. White, 2019

Commentary

This Kootenai man had apparently made his home with the Piegans for some time and had become a respected leader. A friendly person, he and Maximilian talked at length about Kootenai customs and language. A fur company trading expedition to the Kootenai country far to the northwest of Fort McKenzie set out on August 30 with Hómach-Ksáchkum as a guide. The journey was never completed, for the party was attacked by Kainai and one of the company employees was killed. Hómach-Ksáchkum wears a fringed skin shirt and a buffalo robe. In contrast to his richly ornamented son in Image 1986.49.289, he wears only a braided choker, probably one made of sweet grass. Maximilian observed several such necklaces among the Blackfeet and tentatively identified the grass used as a species of Antboxantbum. More likely the grass was Hierochloe odorata, indigenous to the area and having a vanilla-like scent similar to that of the European Antboxanthum. Hómach-Ksáchkum portrait was included in Tableau 46 of the aquatint atlas.

References in Journal

August 19, 1833

Labels:

genre, portrait

Approximate Depicted Location:

Fort McKenzie, Montana