Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952)
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*50% OFF OPPORTUNITY* Plate 276 Spearing Salmon - Wisham
Date:
1909
Size:
Portfolio, 18 x 22 inches
Medium:
Vintage Photogravure
Though the Wisham preferred to fish with nets, sometimes this was not possible. In this photogravure the subject is spear-fishing most likely for salmon along the Columbia River. The water looks fiercely rapid and the large cliff and rocks make the landscape feel extreme on the shoreline. The subject is wearing a loincloth which is typical for a Wisham fisherman.
“The nature of the shore and the height of the water level sometimes combine to make dip-netting impossible. Recourse is then had to the double-pointed spear, the socketed barbs of which are connected to the shaft by strong cords, so that when a fish is struck and its struggles detach the barbs from the prongs it is held by a hook and line.” - Edward S. Curtis
“The nature of the shore and the height of the water level sometimes combine to make dip-netting impossible. Recourse is then had to the double-pointed spear, the socketed barbs of which are connected to the shaft by strong cords, so that when a fish is struck and its struggles detach the barbs from the prongs it is held by a hook and line.” - Edward S. Curtis