Winter Count

A small stain removed and repaired left side, center facing.

This superb pictographic “winter count” is one of a small number known in museum collections by the Hunkpapa Lakota warrior Swift Dog. In addition to his paintings on muslin, Swift Dog was a skilled creator of ledger drawings, painted shields and model tipi covers.

PROVENANCE

Acquired directly from the artist by Mr P Robinson who owned a general store near Williston, ND, in the early 1900's 
By descent in the family

RELATED EXAMPLES

Historical Society of North Dakota, Bismarck, Cat. Nos. 674 and 791 – See: McCoy, Ron. American Indian Art Magazine, Summer 1994, pg. 71, pl. 4, pg. 73, pl. 6, and pg. 74, pl. 7 (catalogued together as 791)

And also Maurer, Evan, M. Visions of the People: A Pictorial History of Plains Indian Life. Minneapolis: Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 1992, pg. 275, pl. 286 (Cat. No. 791)

Cranbrook Institute of Science, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Cat. No 4145 – See: See: McCoy, Ron. American Indian Art Magazine, Summer 1994, pg. 71, pl. 3

Metropolitan Museum of Art - The Charles and Valerie Diker collection – See: Ibid, pg. 68, pl. 1 and pg. 69, pl. 2 for two ledger drawings by Swift Dog

Ibid, pg. 72, pl. 5 for a modal tipi cover (private collection)

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO. (Ex. Terasaki Collection), Cat. No. 2005.30 – See: https://art.nelson-atkins.org/objects/35059/winter-count?ctx=1e9b3c6d-7996-4043-8560-3261a7c8c637&idx=1507