Bird Horse

[Diane Merkel]

The portrait above was painted by David Humphreys Miller and is owned by Brent, who asked that I post it along with this information:

This is "Bird Horse," cousin of White Swan, one of Custer's Scouts at the Little Bighorn. David painted this portrait of Bird Horse when interviewing him for his book Custers Fall: The Indian Side of the Story.

[brentnvicki]

The reason i posted this picture is i want everybody to understand what a great artist Mr. Miller was. His field sketches of the 72 Suvivors that he painted between 1935 and 1942. Please go to my thread in Research "DAVID HUMPHREYS MILLER". It explains more about his collection and why i am trying to preserve the entire collection. I believe it is a collection that is of great historic value.

[ladonna]

I just seen some of the collect at Crazy Horse

[brentnvicki]

Ladonna, a Historian at Crazy Horse by the name of Donivon Sprague helped me with some of my research on Mr. Millers early years. Donivon is related to HUMP. Anyway I have posted the location of the Miller collection showing in Great Falls. It would be nice to see you there if you can make it.

Brent



For Immediate Release
Contact: Doug Johns
8 May 2008 Johns Western Gallery
250 Sutter Street #350
San Francisco CA 94108
[phone]
[e-mail]

Van Wert, Ohio to the Little Big Horn & Beyond:
An Exhibition of David Humphreys Miller Sketch & Oil
Portraits of Sioux, Crow, Cheyenne & Blackfoot Warriors.

A remarkable free exhibition of art and artifacts documenting the era of the Plains warrior culture will open at Pacific Galleries, 901 Ninth Street North, Great Falls, Montana, on June 21 and continue through June 29. This week is recognized as “Victory” week by tribes celebrating their triumph over Gen. George Armstrong Custer on June 25, 1876. The exhibit includes over 100 original portrait sketches including Little Big Horn survivors and their contemporaries as well as 24 painted portraits of prominent Blackfoot and Crow warriors.

All of the artwork is by the late David Humphreys Miller and the artifacts represent items gifted to Miller by portrait subjects. The portrait sketches were all drawn from life by then teenager Miller in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s. Also on exhibit will be a number of period photographs from the same era.

All is the result of a young David Miller’s curiosity about the Battle of the Little Big Horn that first brought him to Pine Ridge, South Dakota from Van Wert, Ohio in 1935 to interview and sketch the old warriors who participated in the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Miller’s interviews became the source for his 1957 book, Custer’s Fall: The Indian Side of the Story. While doing research for a later book, Ghost Dance, Miller interviewed and painted Blackfeet, Flatheads, Crows and Northern Cheyennes to document the spread of the “messiah” movement in the late 1880’s culminating in the Wounded Knee massacre. The oil portraits date from the era immediately following World War II.

Van Wert native, Brent Stevens, and his wife Vicki have been instrumental in searching out documentation confirming Miller’s early life and presence on the South Dakota reservations in the 1930s. The Little Big Horn & Beyond exhibition is presented by Johns’ Western Gallery of San Francisco, California, and Wrangler Gallery of Sun River, Montana. Questions about the exhibition may be directed to Doug Johns at 888-543-9378 or Brad Hamlett at 406-799-5885.

To preview all of the sketches and paintings, go to johnswesterngallery.com and click on Gallery & Bookshop, then click on Little Big Horn & Beyond: Miller Collection.


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Links to hi-res tiff artwork:
www.johnswesterngallery.com/images/Joseph-White-Cow-Bull.tif

www.johnswesterngallery.com/images/DHMIller-JWhite-Cow-Bull.tif

« Last Edit: May 9, 2008, 2:57pm by brentnvicki »

[crawdaddo]

thats a beautiful portrait of Bird Horse so simple and so good

[brock]

Yes, I have seen the collection. I also took the Clown family there and they identified the picture of Amos Clown as being authentic. They also identified the pipe stem labeled Crazy Horse's pipe as Waglula's, however it was not a sacred pipe but a regular pleasure pipe stem one might find at a smoke shop. The pipe stem was in the possession of Amos Clown at the time. His wife, Crazy Horse's half-sister Iron Cedar, had died a short time earlier. I'm trying to connect Ernie LaPointe and the pictures of Little Soldier and John Sitting Bull so he can see them and verify that they too are authentic since he knew both and actually lived in the same house as John Sitting Bull as a youth.

I have heard that some have accused him of using old Native post cards as the model for his drawings. Amos Clown was never on a post card and if I connect up Ernie and the pictures that pertain to his family (who also never made it to the post card cover) and he concurs that they are who Miller said they were then in my mind there no longer is any question.

If Miller had a fault it was he took all his interviews on the Little Bighorn and tried to make it into one big story. He would have been better off recording each story separately. I believe by combining the different stories he ended up making the story his own...not that that was his intention, it's just what happens when third parties try to interpret many different interviews into one. However I do believe he did conduct the interviews. Having spent so much time interviewing and just generally hanging out with several different Natives on the rez myself, there is a feel to a written or otherwise told story that can be ferreted out within a few paragraphs as to whether the story teller spent the time learning from the Native population or spent most of his time in a library. Miller's grasp of some of the more subtle things in the Lakota daily life and culture tell me he actually did spend time on the rez and most likely did do the interviewing whether formal or informal. Those who have judged that he didn't spend the time in the field, probably have not spent much time in the field themselves. To you spent time, I think you need to quantify that in months and years, not days.

[brentnvicki]

Brock,

Thank you so much for your post. Please do me the favor of making sure that once you document the stories that you please post and let me know. Also if you would take one more step and write something up and then ask the family to sign it , it will add one more piece of evidence to the collection. As I have stated my end goal is to get the collection donated to the state of Montana or South Dakota so at any time any family member can come in and view the paintings. Historians , I am finding out ,require a lot of documentation before they put their stamp on it. That stamp of approval provides that added bit of authentication to buy it and then gift it knowing 100% without doubt that it is all real. I understand it to a point but when you have photographs of him painting Joseph White Cow Bull and others and yet they still don't believe it just aggravates me. Please any information from family members will help this important cause. I will be happy to pay for any postage to send any information you can collect. You have made my day thank you very much.

Brent

[brentnvicki]

Brock,

I also wanted to agree with you regarding the book. I will tell you from what I have been able to find out is that David Miller did not intend to write a book. He wrote down all his notes from all the personal stories of the years more for him self i believe than for the purpose of writing a book. A 15 year old boy does not intend to go west to write a book when his Parents are painters, His His Uncles where painters. You go West to Paint. Then in 1954 he married Jan. Jan was a producer in Hollywood for "THIS IS YOUR LIFE". She is the one that encouraged Him to take what he had and write a book about the Little Big Horn. That book came out in 1957. He then wrote the book "Ghost Dance" It focused more on the religion than the Massacre at Wounded Knee. He was planning on writing one last book before he died called " Indians Who Fought Custer" or "HOKAHEY" in this book were the Survivor paintings exactly like the "Bird Horse" Painting. He had never made a print of any of the survivor paintings or sold any of the 72 originals in this $5,000,000 dollar collection. He was going broke and was dying of cancer the book was not complete. This would have been his greatest book he had ever written if it would have been completed. So now David dying and his wife Jan is looking at declaring bankruptcy. David is to sick to finish the book. She needs money, so what does she do....she tries to finish the book for David. The problem is that she got some of the stories mixed up and perhaps put a couple of stories together. Then she hires some guy by the name of C. J. BUSICK to help here sell the book and the collection of paintings. He sends the copy of the book to Brian W. Dippie in 1989. Mr. Dippie rips the book apart in the areas that did not add up. Understandable. She was desperate and did not get some of the stories right. However, he proceeds to then question everything up to that point. There is to much history to discount what happened prior to the book in 1989. This book is what has cause the Montana historical society to pull back. We need a clean slate. Discount the book attempt in 1989. Do not discount everything going back to his visits as a 15 year old boy in 1935 to 1988. He almost gave us one last great book. Now the entire book is coming under attack. You can get a copy of part of the Manuscript from the McCracken Research Library Buffalo Bill Historic Center 720 Sheridan avenue Cody Wyoming 82414. I think i paid $12.00 for it. I contains stories from Joseph White Cow Bull, Walking Hunter, Chief Joseph White Bull, Dewey Beard, Chief Daniel Grass Rope and John Sitting Bull. Also if any of you want a good book that highlights Mr. Miller it is Brand Book #6 San Diego Corral of the Westerners.

[brock]

brentnvicki,
I already proposed this to Doug Johns with no movement...twice. In order to get something you have to give something. I'm pretty sure these are actual drawings of some Lakota families relatives. I suspect they would all like a copy of their relative's picture for their family cedar chest or wall. For instance the Clown family already has stated with great delight I might add that the drawing labeled Amos Clown is indeed Amos Clown. But they're also smart enough to know the only way they're going to get a picture of their grandfather for their own (not talking original mind you) is to hold out signing anything until they have the picture in their hot little hands. I can assure you the same will be true with Ernie if the pix match his recollections.
This is not a hard problem. Get a list complete with thumbnail pictures, I can get it put it out through the moccasin telegraph (Native equivalent to the internet...only faster ) and I suspect you'll find a number of families willing to testify that one of the pictures Miller drew is indeed their grandfather within 60 days and in some cases complete with probate documents proving their relation. But without getting a copy (bigger than thumbnail of course, maybe 4-5 mb digital copy) there is no incentive. Why sign to authenticate when their signature will only make getting a copy more expensive and harder to obtain for themselves? Knowing that and the shoe were on the other foot, would you sign?

[Diane Merkel]

From Brent:



David Humphreys Miller painting Joseph White Cow Bull, 1939.

Also a picture of him later in life. Late 70's to Mid 80's.

[brentnvicki]

Brock, I am not trying to verify the men and women in the sketchs are who they are but more stories of Mr miller sketching these from life.I am looking for those types of stories.since mr miller received so many artifacts I figured that he would have gifted back some paintings to the people he interviewed. I understand the trade concept.iwould be happy to provide high res pictures of what I own to any of the family members. Those paintings include Dewey Beard,Bird horse(crow)One Bull,Joseph white cow bull,Plain Bull,Chewing Black Bone. As for what Doug Johns has I will ask him again. I will see him this week end. Again I think it is important to get this information saved.It is you story not mine.However,david millers story is my story becuase he is from my home town and I am trying to save that.I also have a love for the native culture. I have since I was 5 years old and found my first arrowhead in a field.all the way to college when I went out on archeology digs every summer for 4 years trying to preseve history along with understanding it.this web site is a great place to continue this passion.I note doing this for any money. I just want your story and mine saved.

[brock]

Brent,
I see. Well get me a copy of the stories that need to be authenticated and I'll run it by the families. I know with the Clown family and the picture labeled 'Crazy Horse's Pipe' that technically that was a proper label as Waglula was also known as Crazy Horse before he gave his name away. And it was indeed his pipe stem...just not from his sacred pipe but from a smoke shop pipe. So technically the title works but the expectation born from the title kind of falls short. I don't remember seeing the story on Amos Clown. Get me the story on Little Soldier and John Sitting Bull also for Ernie and you could throw in Dewey Beard as he was a frequent guest at Ernie's family's house. Dewey Beard, Little Soldier, and John Sitting Bull used to recount the Battle of the Little Bighorn into the wee hours while Ernie was in the room.
The stories that I have are too numerous. I have about 40 hours of recorded oral history on video (from the Clowns and Ernie and some other Natives that I just have)...how many stories is that?...God only knows...that's just plain too much work to break down other than what is already broken down in my DVDs. That's why it makes more sense for me to get Miller's blurbs and pass them to the families...and if we want to get ambitious we can still use the moccasin telegraph...but getting those that respond complimentary pictures of their relatives would still be in order.
If it pans out I still think getting them their relatives pictures would be in order.

[ladonna]

I spoke with Donovon Sprague at Crazy Horse when Kingsley Bray lectured there last week and looked at the collection.
I know that most of the pictures painted are the likness of the
people. I have a few photo of people in my office.
The Bird Horses still live here on Standing Rock

[brentnvicki]

Brock,

Just back from Great Falls and the David Humphreys Miller Collection. I spoke to Doug John's about getting you a high res picture of Amos Clown. He said he spoke to you at his gallery. He said he agreed to send you a picture of Amos Clown. He was just waiting for a story you where going to send him along with your address.

Regarding the Pictures I have...If you can email me your address. I will make a copy of BirdHorse, and Dewey Beard in high res. When I was out there I did not know anything about Little Soldier. If you ask for a picture of him when you send the AMOS CLOWN story to Doug I am sure he would provide it to you. If you are any where close to great falls you should stop in an see the show. It will be there until Sunday the 29th 2008. Doug will be their all week. I will also send you a picture of Dewey Beards Courting blanket that he made for Mr. Miller and the Story I have John Sitting Bull that David wrote. Brock, If you are talking to any of the family members old enough to remember David painting any of there relatives if you can get them to write something down to that effect I will trying to dig up more information to send back your way. Anything would be helpful. Thanks for your interest.

Brent

[brentnvicki]

Ladonna,

If you would like, I'll send you a CD with a picture of Birdhorse so you can give it to the family if you'd like. Let me know or email me your address. If you talk to any family members that are old enough to remember Mr. Miller painting their family members, it would be very helpful in our research. Here is a link to the John Western Gallery. If you do come across anybody please have them write down what they remember and sign it.

www.johnswesterngallery.com/images/DHMIller-JWhite-Cow-Bull.tif


Brent