Adam Clark Vroman
1902
Interior of Mr. Hooker's House, Sichimovi

Platinum print
20.6 × 15.6 cm (8 1/8 × 6 1/8 in.) (image)
 
J. Paul Getty Museum
Object Number: 84.XM.472.2
 
The Mr. Hooker of the title was the elected head of the Hopi village of Sichimovi in Arizona, a frequent setting for Adam Clark Vroman's portraits and genre studies. This interior view shows a woman seated in the upstairs sleeping quarters, peering out at the visitor with a camera. Among the objects in the living area below are traditional Hopi kachina dolls as well as a Victorian umbrella. The photographs tacked to the wall appear to be of a village and may be Vroman's work, possibly indicating a relationship between Vroman and this household.
 
The early twentieth century found many amateur photographers documenting Native cultures in the Southwest. The romantic image of a place where few non-Indians had previously ventured was fostered in the popular imagination through widely circulated newspaper accounts, novels, and stories. Vroman was one of the few photographers of the region who established a friendly relationship with his subjects beyond that of a curious tourist.
 
Secondary Inscription: Inscribed verso print in pencil by an assistant of Sam Wagstaff: "SW-5/ Vroman #5"; inscribed recto print in pencil by an unknown hand: "15".
 
LL/130950