Hide Shirt
Unknown Artist
c. 1890
Medium
hide, pigment, glass beads, human hair
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.978,"width":1.5}}
Classification
Textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Bequest of David S. McMillan
Accession Number
1984.1046
About this artwork
Traditionally, only Lakota (Sioux) head chiefs had the right to wear painted shirts, an honor they earned through sacrifice and bravery but lost by failing in their responsibilities. By the time this example was created, European Americans had confined the Lakota to reservations, and painted shirts had become the privilege of battle veterans rather than of active warriors. Family members probably donated the locks of hair, each representing a war exploit.