Shirt for Chief's War Dress
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Object Label
Dr. Nathan Sturges Jarvis, a military surgeon stationed at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, between 1833 and 1836, collected this war shirt as well as matching leggings (not shown). It is one of the finest, earliest Plains pieces in existence. After the explorations of Lewis and Clark, some Native Americans created trade ties with Euro-Americans. As a result, this garment shows Native invention using new materials and symbols in its decoration along with traditional ones.
The lane stitch (sometimes called lazy stitch) has been used on the bib and shoulders. The painted designs on the front of the shirt probably represent a tally related to war exploits, such as the linear shapes on the brown side indicating stylized rifles. On the right, in the area partially stained in red, are seventeen linear designs in brown that may represent horse quirts. The shirt is also painted on the back with five triangular shapes with round heads that almost certainly represent people. Horse track designs are on the right lower sleeve in front and on the reverse on the right shoulder. Horses, rifles, and trade beads are all items brought to the Plains after non-native contact, while hides, quillwork, and painted decoration had been used for decades.
Caption
Sioux; Probably Yanktonai, Nakota, Sioux. Shirt for Chief's War Dress, 19th century. Buckskin, pony beads, porcupine quills, maidenhair fern stem, human hair, horsehair, dye, feather, 44 x 68 in. (111.8 x 172.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Henry L. Batterman Fund and Frank Sherman Benson Fund, 50.67.1a. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 50.67.1a_edited_SL1.jpg)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Cultures
Title
Shirt for Chief's War Dress
Date
19th century
Geography
Place collected: Fort Snelling, Minnesota, United States
Medium
Buckskin, pony beads, porcupine quills, maidenhair fern stem, human hair, horsehair, dye, feather
Classification
Dimensions
44 x 68 in. (111.8 x 172.7 cm)
Credit Line
Henry L. Batterman Fund and Frank Sherman Benson Fund
Accession Number
50.67.1a
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
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Frequent Art Questions
Can you tell me more about the war shirt I'm a designer and I love the ornaments.
There are some really incredible details to the war shirt, for one, it's made from one piece of deer hide that is ingeniously folded and fashioned to create this draping style.The porcupine quills are another fascinating detail. The traditional way of flattening them would be for the quill-worker to keep them in her mouth to keep them soft and pliable, and then flatten them with her teeth.The long fringe could be an indication that the wearer was a storyteller, the fringe would move and sway, emphasizing the arm movements of the orator.Also, the glass beads were some of the first beads introduced by non-Native traders to the Northern Plains in the early 1800s. They were called "pony beads" because they were transported by pony pack trains or "pound beads" because they were sold by the pound. Blue beads were popular because the color was rare in Indian dye sources. The combination of traditional quillwork and these beads indicates that the artist was a person of high social status whose family was able to trade for valuable materials.What tribe does this belong to?
The shirt was created by a Sioux artist.Is that local?No. The Yanktonai, Nakota, Sioux live in the plains region of the United States. This object was collected in the 1830s at Fort Snelling, a US military outpost in Minnesota.How are you able to preserve objects like this leather "Shirt for Chief's War Dress"?
That shirt in particular is not very old, dating to the early 19th century. In general, leather is a pretty durable material. Additionally, objects that have been specifically collected for museum contexts are very quickly subject to various conservation methods to preserve them, including climate and light control. As a part of our collection, this shirt wouldn't have been subject to the wear and tear of everyday life.Tell me more.
The war shirt would have been made by a woman for on specific male chief. The designs reflect the military history of the man who would have originally worn it and he may have further modified it through personalized embellishments as seen here. The lines along the colored areas are believed to be tally marks.After a young man's first raid at age 15 or 16, he could be recognized as a warrior. Clothing was used to record and symbolize a man's heroics in battle, and would be displayed in the tipi, in the men's area opposite the doorway.We're curious about this item.
This is a Sioux Chief's War Shirt, from the early 19th century. The chief likely wore this shirt while he was making speeches or telling stories, the fringe, as you can imagine, would exaggerate his movements as he talked!The shirt is made of buckskin, pony beads (glass beads introduced by non-Native traders in the early 19th century), porcupine quills, maidenhair fern stems, and sinew used for sewing and beading. It also includes painted designs, including all those hourglass-shaped black sections. These actually represent bolts of trade cloth, likely a reference to peaceful trade relations.Thanks!What is this?
This war dress is made from a single carefully and cleverly folded deer hide. The details include porcupine quills, a long fringe, and glass beads of the type first introduced by non-native traders in the early 19th century.The garment was created by a Yanktonai Sioux artist. The designs are specific to the wearer, and would have symbolized his military history.
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