Richard Throssel

These photographs of the Crows portray ceremonies, dances, scenes of everyday life, and individual and group portraits, and are valued as historical documents and as works of art.

Throssel moved to Montana at age 20 after a long bout with rheumatism, expecting his symptoms to be improved in a drier climate.

He studied photography with Edward S. Curtis and painting techniques, including design and composition, with Joseph Henry Sharp.

In this series Throssel employed vivid lighting with sometimes-staged arrangements, lending towards a much more sentimental view of Crow life.

Even though Throssel was part of the early cliché style of depicting Native Peoples his approach also lent itself towards photographs of subjects caught in the moment.