Cigar Store Indian
c. 1937
Frances Lichten captured this iconic wooden figure in 1937, preserving a piece of fading American folk art for posterity. The subject stands proudly in a vibrant red tunic and towering feathered headdress, clutching a bundle of tobacco leaves. Lichten was part of the Index of American Design, a New Deal project that sent artists across the country to document everyday objects and folk traditions before they disappeared. Her meticulous rendering brings the weathered, hand-carved sculpture back to life, showing us the bold colors it once boasted on a bustling city sidewalk.
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