Parfleche Envelope

ca. 1865

Not on view

Returned to lender

This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.

Parfleche painting was central to Cheyenne women’s arts guilds. Older women recognized for their skill, character, and spiritual knowledge mentored younger artists, and this practice resulted in the uniformly high standards seen on this envelope. Graphic elements, such as elongated hourglass forms and the negative space around them, are balanced and unified; their interaction creates a sense of visual tension. Throughout the composition, a translucent pale blue color is contrasted with deep yellow and rusty black.

Artwork Details

Overview

Exhibition History

Title: Parfleche Envelope
Date: ca. 1865
Geography: United States, Colorado
Culture: Southern Cheyenne
Medium: Buffalo rawhide, pigment
Dimensions: Length: 29 in. (73.7 cm)
Width: 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm)
Classification: Hide-Containers
Credit Line: Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago (67468)
Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing