[SOULE, William S. (1836-1908), photographer]. Photograph of Arapahoe warrior, wife, and papoose. Ca 1868-early 1870s.

5 1/8 x 7 3/4 in. albumen photograph on 10 x 11 3/4 in. cardstock mount with period inked caption at lower right, "Arrapahoe [sic] Warrior, Squaw, and Pappoose [sic]." It has been suggested that the notation was written in Soule's hand, but this cannot be confirmed with all certainty.

An outdoor photograph of an Arapahoe family seated on a buffalo robe. The warrior is shown holding a befeathered Hardee hat with infantry insignia.

William Stinson Soule (1836-1908), of Boston, served a full three year enlistment in "A" Co., 13th Massachusetts Infantry, despite being wounded at Antietam. Already possessing a knowledge of photography due to assisting at his older brother John P. Soule's well-established Boston studio prior to the war, Will traveled west with his equipment in 1867. Having saved up some money working as a store clerk in Fort Dodge, Kansas, and inspired by the publication of his photograph Scalped Hunter as an engraving in Harper's Weekly in early 1869, Soule moved on to Fort Sill, Indian Territory to open his own studio. General Philip Sheridan had established the cavalry outpost in January of that year in order to defend attacks on border settlements in Texas and Kansas from within Indian Territory and, with this type of security, Soule was able to photograph Indians as few before him had. He stayed in the area until 1874, when he returned to Boston to again partner with his brother, who helped Will copyright and market the exceptional images. Today, Soule's photographs of Kiowa, Wichita, Comanche, and others, are recognized as some of the most important photographs of their type and reside in several prominent public and private collections.

The Larry Ness Collection of Native American Photography

This lot is located in Cincinnati.