hide, painted

hide, painted

hide, painted

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Introduction

A piece of hide decorated with geometric motifs done in red vermillion and black and green pigments. This may have been a Sioux woman's garment or a fragment from a garment. Collected by G.C. Beltrami in Wisconsin in 1823. Beltrami's collection catalogue states that around 1856, Beltrami's nephew donated several objects to the Civic Library of Bergamo, which were later transferred to the Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali, its current location.

Nation of Maker: Sioux
Nation of Origin

This attribution was suggested by the Beltrami Collection catalogue's author, Leonardo Vigorelli (p.410).

Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

The Beltrami Collection catalogue and museum documentation

Materials

tanned hide; pigment, black and green; red vermillion

Techniques or Format

The hide has been stretched and painted with pigment.

Motifs and Patterns

geometrical motifs.

Original and Subsequent Uses

This may have been part of a women's garment.

Other Notes

Vigorelli in the Beltrami Collection s catalogue states that:" I motivi presenti nella decorazione fanno ritenere che si tratti di manufatto di produzione femmnile Sioux forse indumento o parte di indumento. Il rosso vermiglione era commerciato nel Northeast fin dalla meta'' del XVIII secolo ed e'' comunemente conosciuto come "vermiglione cinese". (p. 410)

SL's translation: The motifs in the decoration suggest that it is a feminine Sioux garment or garment part. The red vermilion in the Northeast was traded since the middle of the eighteenth century and commonly known as 'Chinese vermilion.'

Dimensions: 67 × 35 × 0 cm
Condition: Good
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: grasac_1518
Collection at Current Location: Collezione Beltrami
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1850s
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: The Civic Library of Bergamo
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1823
Collection Narratives and Histories

Collected by G.C. Beltrami from Wisconsin in 1823. Beltrami's collection catalogue states that around 1856, Beltrami's nephew donated several objects to the Civic Library of Bergamo, which were later transferred to the Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali.

Exhibition History

The Beltrami Collection was exhibited in Florence in 1929 during the "Prima Esposizione Nazionale di Storia delle Scienze" (First National Exposition of History of Sciences"). In 1973, during a celebration of the Beltrami exhibit, Glauco Luchetti donated three objects from his own collection, which were located in Beltrami's last house in Filottrano, to the "Museo Civico E. Caffi". In 1987 the collection was used in the exhibit entitled "Missisippi 1823. Oggetti indiani raccolti da G. Costantino Beltrami" in the Galleria Lorenzelli in Bergamo.

Publication History

Beltrami s catalogue. Vigorelli, Gli Oggetti indiani raccolti da G.Costantino Beltrami (p.41).

Sources to Learn More

Leonardo Vigorelli, Gli Oggetti indiani raccolti da G.Costantino Beltrami, Civico Museo E. Caffi, Bergamo, 1987.

GKS Reference Number: 26666
Record Creation Context

This record was created by Emanuela Rossi after a trip, funded by GRASAC, to the Museo Civico E. Caffi in Bergamo, Italy in October 2008.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Researchers present: Emanuela Rossi

Approximate Place of Origin

42.7, -92.2

Source of Information about Places

In the Beltrami Collection catalogue, the author, Leonardo Vigorelli, defines "Upper Mississippi" as the Cultural Area of Origin. He defines "Northern Plains" as the Geographic Area.