E.A. Burbank

E.A. Burbank (1858 - 1949)
In 1898, E.A. Burbank received an important commission from his uncle, Edward Ayer, first president of the Field Columbian Museum and owner of one of the most complete libraries on Indian culture. Ayer hired his nephew to do portraits of prominent Indians during that time. On this assignment, Burbank traveled West and in Ganado, Arizona, met trading post owner Lorenzo Hubbell, who became a life-long friend. In watercolor, oil and crayon, he painted more than 1200 Indian portraits from 125 tribes. He was the only artist to paint Geronimo from life. The collection of paintings from these travels is in the Newberry Library in Chicago, and another large group of his paintings is housed at the Smithsonian Institution.