Decorative Value of American Indian Art 



By ESTHER A. COSTER 



Wilh (Hi Introduction by Mr. W'dlltr Scott Perry, Director, School of Fine and Applied Arts, 



Priitl Institute 



With ilhislral ions I'roiii plioto^'iaplis of chin;! (lecor;il(!il l>y the author 



Introduction: — The art of the Ainericaii Indians, exhibited in the very remarkable 

 collection in the American Museum of Natural History, furnishes valuable lessons in the 

 fundamental elements of design. These primitive craftsmen felt the principles of design 

 intuitively. Religious symbolism furnished an infinitude of motives. Their art was a means 

 of communicating their emotions, and in it they expressed the characteristics of their race. 

 The first impulse was to produce an article for use and that impulse gave expression to an object 

 which was made beautiful by a creative idea. The decoration of a useful object was always 

 made subservient to the purpose, and refinement of line and beauty of form thus developed 

 with elimination of the unessential. The love of the craftsman for his work so permeates the 

 design that it awakens in the student an enthusiastic response, and stimulates the constructive 

 imagination and creative impulse. 



The American Indians possessed a remarkable appreciation for fine space and mass rela- 

 tion, and as a race were characterized by great refinement of feeling and deep religious convic- 

 tion. The fact that there is a sincerity of purpose underlying every line and motive give their 

 designs a significance that is inspiring in a study of their craft. Beautiful forms common in 

 nature were drawn upon with remarkable skill in selection and adaptation. In fact, nature was 

 the primal source of their art inspiration. Herein lies the suggestive thought for the designer 

 of today. Their motives are always simple, direct, spontaneous, and therefore vital. They 

 are imbued with hfe and movement. Remarkable versatility is shown in the use of the limited 

 amount of material at their command. By working out the designs in the material itself, they 

 preserved the organic structure of the design and displayed wonderful ingenuity in developing 

 their motives in restricted areas. 



The Indian designs are illustrative of principles that lie at the foundation of all design. 

 Repetition, symmetry, rhythm, straight and curved line arrangements, light and dark, space 

 relations, color values, are carefully related and produce patterns of simple beauty and artistic 

 merit. The straight-line pattern was the most commonly used, being especially adapted to 

 borders and forming the decoration on wearing apparel, pottery, utensils, and objects relating 

 directly to their everyday life. To the Indian, stability and strength were qualities that stood 

 for superiority of type, and these elements are characteristic of their art expression. The ele- 

 mental forces — fire, air, and water — were expres.sed in a well-ordered symbolism. Each 

 beautiful ornament is derived, whether intentionally or unintentionally, from some constant 

 natural form which has made its appeal as a divine creation. 



Walter Scott Perry 



COMPARATIVELY few people, motives to the modern crafts. As from 



even among art students, have aU primitive art, it is necessary to 



any adequate realization of the choose the best, but the simphcity and 



wealth of material which awaits the directness of expression, even where the 



stoker for new ideas in the American execution is crude, hold many valuable 



Indian collection of the American Mu- lessons for present-day designers, 



seum of Natural History. Too many The Indians drew their inspiration 



visitors look upon the Indian exhibits directly from nature, using familiar forms 



as curious and interesting without appre- but interpreting them in so simple a 



ciating the possibilities of adapting the fashion that the resulting motive be- 



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