On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.
Biróhkä, Hidatsa Man
Karl Bodmer Swiss
Not on view
The attire of Biróhkä (Windbreak) communicates a wealth of information about his contributions to his community. His headwear is made of the hide of a white buffalo, a rare and revered animal for many Plains peoples. It suggests that Biróhkä sang or drummed for the White Buffalo Cow Society, a group of mostly women elders who performed a ceremony to attract buffalo to the winter villages. Stylized eagle feathers arranged in sunburst designs decorate his massive robe and represent war bonnets, headwear that bestowed the highest honors to warriors. Bodmer rendered these personal items with remarkable detail, even including the seam near Biróhkä’s waist where two buffalo hides were stitched together. In comparison, the loosely sketched graphite marks in the background demonstrate how the artist prioritized unique elements of his sitter’s attire over situational detail.
Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
