Ledger Art in Transition

While doing research for my paper I discovered a point of advancement within this medium. The Native American prisoners held at Ft. Marion created a slew of ledger art while held, but there is something interesting about their work. Many of the artists' works show exposure to western art techniques.

One of the main advancements was the inclusion of background detail within the art. Traditional ledger art did not have background or environment detail; it was only concerned with the central figures of the piece.

Here is a comparison:

 

A piece made by a Lakota artist sometime between 1845-1915. This image, in the traditional style, only shows the main actors in the scene.



A contrasting piece made by a Kiowa artist imprisoned at Ft. Marion sometime between 1875 and 1878. The background detail including hills and bushes is unique to Ft. Marion ledger art and is probably due to the western influence that the artist experienced.