Blackfoot War Art

Less a coffee table book and more a serious scholarly study, Dempsey’s book is still an attractive work filled with plates of striking Blackfoot art.

The exploration of this art, from the beginning of the reservation period until present day, is thorough and consistently focused on individual pieces. Since the tone and overall effect of the book is academic, Dempsey uses the Blackfoot war art as a means of cultural exploration. His method is easy to accept, and Dempsey reveals interesting patterns in Blackfoot society that extend well beyond warfare. This is worth a look for serious students of Native Americana interested in the persistence of culture. —Jason Strykowski