Indigenous Plains People Express Their Narratives Through Ledger Artwork

In the late 19th century, a unique artistic movement emerged among the Plains Native American communities, one that would come to be known as ledger art. This art form, characterised by its use of ledger books and other written materials as canvases, offered a fascinating glimpse into the lives of these people before their forced relocation to reservations by the end of the 1870s.

The tradition of ledger art was not exclusive to any one tribe, with artists from various Plains communities contributing their own interpretations. These artists depicted scenes of ceremony and daily life, offering a personal account of their culture that was often missing from the unrealistic images created by non-Native American artists of the time.

One such artist was Victor Hugo Green, whose colored pencil drawing of a horse on lined paper can be found in the Vincent Price Ledger Book. Another notable figure was Lakota Chief Tatanka Yotanka, better known as Sitting Bull, who created images while imprisoned at Fort Randall. Some of Sitting Bull's works are now housed in the National Anthropological Archives at the Smithsonian Institution.

As the opportunities for war honors dwindled, artists began to focus more on hunting scenes and "ceremonial" subject matter in their ledger art. This shift reflected the changing circumstances of the Plains peoples, who were now confined to reservations.

The widespread tradition of creating ledger art dissipated in the early 20th century, but it was not entirely lost. Some artists continued to practice this art form, and today, their works can be found in institutions and museum collections, as well as in private collections. Individual sheets of ledger art can cost anywhere from thousands of dollars to more than six figures.

The Plains Indian Ledger Art (PILA) project has worked tirelessly to digitize these ledger art drawings from the late 19th century, making them accessible to researchers and the general public. You can view 42 ledgers, including the Bad Eye Sketchbook and the Arrow's Elk Society Ledger, on the PILA website.

In the modern era, ledger art continues to evolve. Native American artist Dwayne "Chuck" Wilcox uses this art form as a means of political satire, while Dolores Purdy, a modern woman artist, creates a contemporary version of ledger art from a female perspective.

Today, ledger art stands as a testament to the resilience and creativity of the Plains Native American communities. It touches on ethnography, political science, journalism, sociology, tribal history, American history, and more, offering a rich and diverse perspective on a pivotal period in history.