Notice

From 9/20 through 9/23, visitors may only enter through the John R entrance. All other entrances, plus the museum grounds, Kirby St and Farnsworth St will be closed during this time for Concours d'Elegance.

Man's Shirt, ca. 1860

  • Cheyenne, Native American

Buckskin, wool, ermine skin, human hair, glass beads and pigment

  • Overall: 46 × 62 inches (116.8 × 157.5 cm)

Founders Society Purchase with funds from Flint Ink Corporation

1988.27

The owner of this shirt painted red "power circles" arranged in a chain descending from the shoulders, from which a bolt of lightning strikes. The painted images of flying birds on the breast and back probably represent guardian spirits who offered blessings as gifts in a vision or a dream.

Milford G. Chandler [1889-1981]

purchased by Richard A. Pohrt [1911-2005] (Flint, Michigan, USA) and his wife, Marion D. Pohrt

1988-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)

Penney, David W. Art of the American Indian Frontier: The Chandler-Pohrt Collection. Seattle and London, 1992, no. 84. "Selected recent acquisitions." Bulletin of the DIA 64, no. 4 (1989): 54 (ill.) Bulletin of the DIA 65, nos. 2/3 (1989): 18, fig. 13, (ill.). Penney, David W. and George C. Longfish. Native American Art.Southport, CT, 1994, pp. 88-89. Penney, David W. Native American Art Masterpieces. Southport, CT, 1996, pp. 42-43. Penney, David W. Art of the American Indian Frontier: A Portfolio. New York, 1995, no. 11.

Cheyenne, Native American, Man's Shirt, ca. 1860, buckskin, wool, ermine skin, human hair, glass beads and pigment. Detroit Institute of Arts, Founders Society Purchase with funds from Flint Ink Corporation, 1988.27.