Pioch-Kiä́iu, Piegan Blackfeet Man

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Artist

Karl Bodmer

Birth and death dates

1809 - 1893

Artist Nationality

Swiss

Title

Pioch-Kiä́iu, Piegan Blackfeet Man

Date

August 21, 1833

Dimensions

12 7/16 × 10 1/8 in. (31.6 × 25.7 cm)

Medium

Watercolor and graphite on paper

Institution

Joslyn Art Museum

Credit Line

Gift of the Enron Art Foundation

Accession Number

1986.49.296

Rights (i.e. copyright information)

Joslyn Art Museum

Photographer credit

Photograph © Bruce M. White, 2019

Commentary

Pioch-Kiä́iu ("Distant Bear") was drawn on August 21. A week later the Blackfeet camp at Fort McKenzie was attacked by 600 Assiniboin and Cree warriors, and many people were killed or injured. Pioch-Kiä́iu was unharmed and declared to Bodmer that the drawing had protected him from the bullets. Pioch-Kiä́iu's interesting profile was remarked on by Maximilian, who found the long chin an unusual Indian feature. The old man's gray hair is smeared with red clay or vermillion and bound into a forehead knot, which may indicate that he was a medicine man or keeper of a medicine pipe. The blue face paint is probably the same "earthy peroxide of iron" worn by the individual in Image 1986.49.283.

References in Journal

August 21, 1833

Labels:

genre, portrait

Approximate Depicted Location:

Fort McKenzie, Montana