Blackfoot, Piegan. <em>Chief's Warrior Shirt</em>, early 19th century. Hide, quills, hair, beads, pigment, cloth, cotton thread, 44 x 69 1/4 in. (111.8 x 175.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Henry L. Batterman Fund and Frank Sherman Benson Fund, 50.67.5a. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.50.67.5a_view1.jpg)

Chief's Warrior Shirt

Artist:Blackfoot, Piegan

Medium: Hide, quills, hair, beads, pigment, cloth, cotton thread

Geograhical Locations:

Dates:early 19th century

Dimensions: 44 x 69 1/4 in. (111.8 x 175.9 cm)

Collections:

Accession Number: 50.67.5a

Image: CUR.50.67.5a_view1.jpg,

Catalogue Description:
Man's shirt, very early, pre 1830s Blackfoot. The fringe along the sleeves and shirt tail is the remnants of ermine and bits can still be seen. The painted figures of people are probably indicative of dead people or people the warrior killed. Should be called a War Shirt not a dress shirt. The quillwork is bird quill. Quillwork is similar to Mandan Hidatsa. Sometimes dots that are rounded indicate hailstones but then they are organized in a scattered fashion more like splashes. There are many anomalies in the quill/bead design.

Brooklyn Museum