Divination

Early Life, Family and Training

De Cost Smith was born in 1864 in Skaneateles, New York. He was the son of E. Reuel Smith and Elizabeth DeCost. His family home was located near the Onondaga reservation, a detail that would later influence the direction of his creative life. Growing up in this part of Western New York, he was surrounded by the landscapes and people that would eventually become the primary subjects of his sketches and paintings.

In 1884, Smith traveled west alongside his brother, Leslie Smith. This movement toward the western territories was a significant shift from his life in New York. Following this period of travel, he sought formal instruction in Europe. He spent time studying in Paris in 1885, where he worked to refine his technical skills as a painter and illustrator. These years of training provided him with the foundational tools he would use throughout his career as a writer and artist.

Artistic Focus and Subject Matter

De Cost Smith possessed a deep, lived understanding of Native American life that defined his entire body of work. Rather than relying on mere observation, he sought a direct connection to the people he painted, often traveling to witness their customs firsthand. His commitment to accuracy was fueled by his personal collection of artifacts from the Sioux, Crow, and Onondaga Indians. These objects were not just curiosities to him; they were essential tools that helped him chronicle the daily activities and sacred customs of the tribes. He spent time in their company, meeting figures such as Sitting Bull, Tendoi, and Rain-in-the-Face.

His paintings often focused on the quiet, significant moments of indigenous existence. He had a particular talent for depicting the spiritual and social nuances of these communities, moving beyond simple portraiture to capture the essence of their way of life. This dedication to authenticity meant his canvases often functioned as visual records of a culture in transition. His ability to translate these observations onto canvas allowed him to document scenes that might otherwise have been lost to history.

• Divination (1906)
• Driven Back (1892)

Where to See the Works Today

The physical remnants of a life spent documenting the customs and people of the American West are held in several significant institutions. His personal collection of artifacts, gathered through his travels and studies, found a permanent home within the American Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian collection. These objects offer a tangible connection to the cultures he spent so much of his time observing and illustrating.

For those interested in his visual legacy, several specific paintings are held in public galleries. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, holds his work titled Divination. In the Birmingham Museum of Art, one can find Driven Back. His 1887 oil on canvas, Sioux Lovers, also remains part of the public record of his artistic output.

Beyond his paintings and collected objects, his intellectual life is preserved through his written words and personal papers. These materials, which provide a deeper look into his perspective and his time spent with various tribes, are kept at Cornell University. Through these diverse collections, his presence remains felt in both the halls of natural history and the quiet archives of academic study.