Maffet Ledger: Indian and soldier on horseback, soldier, horse wounded

Art Historical Context

In the late 19th century, and Northern Cheyenne artists created vivid ledger drawings like this one from the *Maffet Ledger*, scenes of conflict and daily life on paper salvaged from accounting books. Dated around 1874–81, this work depicts an Indian warrior and a soldier on horseback, alongside another soldier and a wounded horse, in graphite outlines filled with watercolor and crayon. The modest dimensions—11 3/4 × 5 1/4 inches—belie its powerful storytelling, a hallmark of Plains Indian pictorial tradition. These drawings emerged during a turbulent era following devastating wars, such as the Red River War (1874–75), when Cheyenne people were increasingly confined to reservations. Warriors used this art form to document their exploits, blending autobiography with historical record-keeping. The flattened perspective, bold lines, and selective coloring emphasize action—firearms, horses, and men in motion—evoking the speed and drama of battle without Western illusionism. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, this piece highlights Cheyenne resilience and cultural memory. Ledger art bridged pre-reservation buffalo-hide painting with modern materials, preserving narratives for future generations amid rapid change. A window into Indigenous perspectives on U.S.-Native encounters, it invites visitors to ponder the human stories behind the conflict.