| OCR Text |
Show 4 monographs and magazine articles. However, the trend towards reliance upon the primary documents--the watercolors--can be expected to continue, as more complete information from scholarly studies filters through to other disciplines. It must not be forgotten, however, that for over a century, the aquatints not only influenced the response of scientists, art historians, and the general public to Maximillian's travelbook, but also provided the basis by which an enduring historical perception of the Plains Indian was created. What remains of the documentary value of these travelbook illustrations? What is their value as works of art? How have these prints influenced the perception of the American West? Close examination of the four selected aquatints offers the opportunity to redefine both the documentary and artistic value of the prints, while re-examining the criteria by which these works have been evaluated in the past. By tracing the progressive revisions imposed upon the original watercolor images as the aquatints passed through their various states, it is possible to observe the processes by which the aquatints were created, while also clarifying how these images have been interpreted in the past. |
