Karl Bodmer (1809-1893) (photographer unknown, 1877)
This website is dedicated to the Swiss painter Karl Bodmer who accompanied Prince Maximilian of Wied on his journey to North America in 1832-34. Bodmer’s drawings of the North American landscapes, and particularly the northern Plains Indians, are priceless. They allow us an insight into a world that still seemed fairly untouched by the chaos that unfolded soon after the travelers had returned back home. From the continuing impact of the fur trade and the encroachment of European settlers on Indian territories, to the devastation caused by diseases such as cholera — Indian life and the North American landscapes as depicted by Karl Bodmer would never be the same again.
Gallery of Karl Bodmer’s North American drawings. These illustrations were part of Prince Maximilian of Wied’s North American travel accounts as published in Germany in 1839-41. The depicted thumbprints can be saved as full images by right-clicking on them, for use in art projects, reports, and other endeavors.
The Lehigh with her islands near Bethlehem.View of New Harmony on the Wabash.Mas-si-ca and Wa-ku-sas-se, a Sauk and a Fox Indian.The steamer “Yellow Stone” unloads.Confluence of the Fox River and the Wabash.The Missouri full of snags.The Ponca Chief Schu-de-ga-cheh, as well as a Missouri and an Oto Indian.Wah-ktä-ge-li, a Dakota Indian.A Dakota woman.View of Fort Pierre and the neighboring prairie.Burial scaffold of a Dakota near Fort Pierre.No-a-peh, an Assiniboin, and Psih-dje-sah-pa, a Dakota Indian.The Mandan Chief Mah-to-toh-pa in his stately costume.The same person’s chest paintings, indicating his heroic deeds.Mandans on the frozen Missouri, with view on Fort Clark.View of Mih-tutta-hangkusch.Peh-ris-ka-ruh-pa, a Hidatsa Indian.Buffalo dance of the Hidatsa Indians in front of the medicine hut.The interior of a Mandan hut.Mah-sich-ka-réh-de and Sih-chi-dä, two Mandan Indians.A painted buffalo robe and other objects of the Mandan Indians.Mah-to-toh-pa’s depiction of a single combat.Peh-ris-ka-ruh-pa in a costume of the dog clan (Waschuk-ke-ächke).Ad-dih-hid-disch, a Hidatsa Chief.Sacrificial altar of the Mandan Indians.Winter village of the Hidatsa Indians on the Missouri.Scalp dance of the Hidatsa Indians.View of Fort Union, where the Assiniboine break their camp.Confluence of the Yellowstone with the Missouri.Assiniboine burial scaffolds in a forest on the Missouri near Fort Union.Indian buffalo hunt on horse back.Pi-tä-ta-pi-ú, an Assiniboine warrior.A Cree and a Snake Indian.Curious rock formations on the Missouri.Curious rock formations on the Missouri.Bear hunt on the Missouri.View of the so-called White Castles on the upper Missouri.Camp of the Grosventres of the Prairies on the Bighorn River.View of the Niagara Falls.Buffalo herds on the upper Missouri.View of the Stone Walls on the upper Missouri.View of Fort McKenzie and the Piegan and a battle that took place there on August 28, 1833.The large camp of the Piegans near Fort McKenzie.View of the Rocky Mountains.Portraits of the Blackfeet Chiefs Mehks-keh-me-su-kahs and Tat-sicki-sto-mick.Sto-mick-so-sack, Chief of the Blood Indians, Ni-noch-kiä-iu, Chief of the Piegans, and Ho-mach-ksach-kum, a Kutenai Indian.Buffalo and elk herds on the upper Missouri.Indian objects and weapons.For anyone interested in learning more about Karl Bodmer’s America, I wholeheartedly recommend the Josyln Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska.
For further information on Karl Bodmer:
Ewers, John C. et al., Views of a Vanishing Frontier (Omaha: Joslyn Art Museum, 1984).
Freedman, Russel, An Indian Winter–Paintings and Drawings by Karl Bodmer (New York: Holiday House, 1992).
Gallagher, Marsha V. and John F. Sears, Karl Bodmer’s Eastern Views–A Journey in North America (Omaha: Joslyn Art Museum, 1996).
Garrett, Madelyn Dean, Karl Bodmer’s Aquatints: The Changing Image (Salt Lake City: University of Utah, Unpublished Thesis, 1990).
Hunt, David C. and Marsha V. Gallagher (eds.), Karl Bodmer’s America (Omaha: Joslyn Art Museum, 1984).
Landesmuseum Koblenz, Praerie- und Plainsindianer–Die Reise in das innere Nord-Amerika von Maximilian Prinz zu Wied und Karl Bodmer (Mainz: Hermann Schmidt, 1993).
Laeng, Hans, Indianer waren meine Freunde–Leben und Werk Karl Bodmers (1809-1893) (Zug: Knobel Art Collections, 1993).
Prestel Verlag, Adventures in Art: Journey to Native America (Regensburg: Aumueller Druck KG, 1999).
Taschen Verlag, Icons: The American Indian – by Karl Bodmer (Koeln: Thomas Grell, 2005).
Thomas, David and Karin Ronnefeldt, People of the First Man–Life Among the Plains Indians in Their Final Days of Glory (New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., 1976).
Wood, Raymond W., Joseph C. Porter & David C. Hunt, Karl Bodmer’s Studio Art: The Newberry Library Bodmer Collection. (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2002).
