A Gallery of Shoshone Hide Paintings

Hide paintings have long played an important role in the life of Plains Indians.  Depending to the specific tribe, these mineral-based paintings told the stories of individuals or bands, and could be found on teepees, buffalo or elk robes, or on garments.  Shoshone artists continued their hide painting traditions during the early reservation period, often drawing upon general Indian life to create works designed for commercial sales.  There are numerous examples of Shoshone hide paintings in many different museums and private collections, with attributions made to the famous Chief Washakie (c. 1804-1900) or his sons Charles, Dick, and George.  In the 1880-1890 period, Cadzi Coty (Codsiogo) is known to have produced at least a dozen paintings (using commercial paints) for sale to visiting tourists at the Wind River Reservation.

The hides below represent some of .  Oldest examples are shown first.  Click on thumbnails to see larger image and provenance/source. Use the "back" button in your browser to navigate.