Original 1910 photogravure by Edward S. Curtis from The North American Indian, portraying the Nez Perce elder known as Half Moon. Shot in intimate close-up, the composition captures the deep lines of age and experience in the sitter’s face, framed by long hair tied high and adorned with a single white shell earring. His layered garments, beaded necklaces, and scarf reveal the cultural richness and individuality of his presentation.

The Nez Perce, famed for their resistance under Chief Joseph during forced relocation in the 1870s, were one of the most historically documented Plateau tribes. Curtis’s portrait does not dramatize but instead quietly honors the dignity and presence of this elder. The photogravure process brings a depth and softness that enhances both the humanity of the sitter and the subtle details of textile and expression, anchoring the portrait in the ethnographic and artistic goals of Curtis’s monumental project.