Portrait of America

Shamoon Zamir’s The Gift of the Face: Portraiture and Time in Edward S. Curtis’s The North American Indian provides a spectacularly researched analysis of the work of Edward S. Curtis. Zamir provides in-depth background about Curtis and his photographic career.

Well illustrated, with both published images and prints from the original un-retouched negatives, this book provides substantial new insight into Curtis’s creative process, from creation through publi-cation of his landmark books and portfolios. Heavily annotated, it also provides a gateway to the best writings on Curtis and North American Indian  photography. The book is highly recommended for those interested in learning more about Edward Curtis and his work.

—Jeremy Rowe author of Arizona Stereographs 1865-1930