Ho-Ta-Mä, Ponca Man

Description

On May 31, during a sojourn at Fort Pierre; Bodmer painted this young Ponca man who was visiting or (from an inscription on the reverse of the painting) possibly living with a group of Sioux camped there. Evidently a friendly, gregarious person, he was frequently observed playing games with his comrades. Maximilian described him as handsome. He appears here with leather braided locks, what appears to be a bone ornament or talisman in his hair, and a shell pendant around his neck.