Man's Jacket

When the nomadic life of the Plains tribes was over at the end of the 19th century, Plains Indian beadworkers adapted their skills to decorate objects with new imagery. This jacket, which is tailored in a western style, is a good example of how female artists incorporated new themes into their work. Depictions of warfare and horseraiding are gone, and have been replaced with men and women on horseback, and various other rodeo scenes. The jacket may have been presented to a Native American rodeo rider, or given as an honor gift.