Descending from Plains Indian representational art, the ledger art produced 1860s to the 1920s must also be examined alongside the rise of modernity. As trade increased, Plains Indians had greater access to paper goods, pencils, and ink fountain pens. Artists often layered new sketches on top of ledger books, creating portable documents. This talk will explore the nature of the ledger art produced at Fort Marion by the incarcerated Plains Indians in the late 1800s. Although the Plains Indians were under constant surveillance at Fort Marion, the art itself resists the logics of modernity and standardization, values that were actively reinforced during their imprisonment.

The St. Augustine Historical Society will also have ledger art from the Plains Indians at Fort Marion on display at the lecture.