Dance blanket

This blanket started out as a standard-issue Hudson Bay blanket, factory-made from British wool. An Otoe or Otoe-Missouria artist transformed it into a work of art—a prized Native dance blanket. It was probably made for a member of the Osage community around 1900. The Osage were immensely rich due to the oil discovered on the Osage Nation land. Wealthy Osage individuals often commissioned their ceremonial regalia from neighboring Otoe and Otoe-Missouria peoples. This blanket features signature Otoe and Otoe-Missouria–style appliqué with colorful beads. When it is worn, the floral designs appear on the front and the horses on the back, wrapping the dancer with decoration.