Ledger Drawing

With the forced relocation of Plains nations onto government reservations a number of warrior artists began selling their drawings on paper and hide to non-Native collectors to support their families. The subject-matter of drawings dating to the early reservation period varies and can include scenes of hunting, wildlife, dances, and combat. As is the case with the group of drawings attributed to Skunk, the depicted events may be auto-biographical, or capture the warring exploits of the artist’s peers. Not much is known about the Lakota artist to whom this body of work is attributed. The word “Skunk” appears at the top of one image and possibly refers to the name of the artist or the depicted protagonist dressed in an Indian Scout’s U.S. Army jacket. The style suggests a Lakota artist, identified by the weapons, warbonnets, and especially the clothing worn by the protagonists. Only one other artist with “Skunk” as part of the name is known, namely Little Skunk, a Cheyenne warrior. A comparison of the work of Little Skunk and Skunk readily determines that the respective artists were two different warriors. It is possible that “Skunk” is a nickname, or only part of the subject’s full name.