Bob Keyes’ April 17 article on the Edward Curtis exhibit at the Portland Museum Art describes Curtis’ work just as I had heard rumored over many years: posed, not true to the reality of Indians at that time, romanticized. Then I read Timothy Egan’s biography of Curtis, “Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher,” and found myself seeing Curtis quite differently.

Seldom can an outsider capture a culture authentically, and in this way Curtis was no different. But to say that he contrived photos to romanticize the American Indian is an opinion, not a fact. You really would have to read Egan’s excellent book to appreciate the tremendous personal sacrifices Curtis made and the tremendous efforts that went into his photographic excursions in his quest to record a way of life that was disappearing.

I find it sad that someone who very well may have been one of the strongest allies of Native Americans in his time is being cast in this light. Do the subjects look sad? Look at any photo taken at that time. Smiling for photos did not become a practice until later. And to lump Curtis’ work with the practice of Indian mascots for sports teams is really a shame.

Mary Offutt

Little Deer Isle

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