Bridge of Tears: Bitterroot Séliš Removal

from $164.00

Title: Bridge of Tears: Bitterroot Séliš Removal
Medium: Archival pigment print, Canson Infinity Arches 88 – an ultra-smooth, archival, 100% cotton paper renowned for its brilliance, longevity, and museum-quality craftsmanship.

Original Artwork Information
Medium: Antique 1876 Montana Territory Map, colored pencil, pen, alcohol ink markers, and paint
Dimensions: 36” x 24”
Year Created: 2024
Location: Currently on sale. Inquire through email.

Artwork Description:
This piece, created on a large 1876 Montana Territory map, depicts the Bitterroot Salish Trail of Tears and their removal in October 1891. It illustrates the moment armed American soldiers escorted the Salish people out of the Bitterroot Valley, crossing Sxwixwuytis Smxé Nxlews (Grizzly Bear Tracks Bridge) on October 16, 1891.

Below the bridge, fish in the river symbolize the Salish place name, Nłʔayčstm ("The place of the small bull trout"). The piece also highlights the bitterroot, a powerful symbol of the Salish way of life and identity, alongside native plants and traditional harvesting sites that have been lost due to land dispossession.

Missoula, once the primary place for digging bitterroot, has seen this vital plant nearly eradicated by displacement and urban development. Despite these losses, this artwork celebrates the strength and resilience of the Bitterroot Salish people and their enduring connection to their homeland.

Features:

  • Unframed: This print is sold unframed and carefully rolled in a durable tube to ensure safe delivery and preservation during transit.

  • Shipping Included

Size:

Title: Bridge of Tears: Bitterroot Séliš Removal
Medium: Archival pigment print, Canson Infinity Arches 88 – an ultra-smooth, archival, 100% cotton paper renowned for its brilliance, longevity, and museum-quality craftsmanship.

Original Artwork Information
Medium: Antique 1876 Montana Territory Map, colored pencil, pen, alcohol ink markers, and paint
Dimensions: 36” x 24”
Year Created: 2024
Location: Currently on sale. Inquire through email.

Artwork Description:
This piece, created on a large 1876 Montana Territory map, depicts the Bitterroot Salish Trail of Tears and their removal in October 1891. It illustrates the moment armed American soldiers escorted the Salish people out of the Bitterroot Valley, crossing Sxwixwuytis Smxé Nxlews (Grizzly Bear Tracks Bridge) on October 16, 1891.

Below the bridge, fish in the river symbolize the Salish place name, Nłʔayčstm ("The place of the small bull trout"). The piece also highlights the bitterroot, a powerful symbol of the Salish way of life and identity, alongside native plants and traditional harvesting sites that have been lost due to land dispossession.

Missoula, once the primary place for digging bitterroot, has seen this vital plant nearly eradicated by displacement and urban development. Despite these losses, this artwork celebrates the strength and resilience of the Bitterroot Salish people and their enduring connection to their homeland.

Features:

  • Unframed: This print is sold unframed and carefully rolled in a durable tube to ensure safe delivery and preservation during transit.

  • Shipping Included

Prints made by Paper & Ink Studio

Located in Missoula, Montana

Canson Certified Print Lab

We recommend that when framing, always ask for UV protected glass. Most ready-made frames from discount stores do not come with UV glass. It is not very expensive to go to your local glass or frame shop and purchase the glass separately. Avoid having your glass positioned directly against your prints as a permanent display option. Monitors are transmissive with regards to light and prints are reflective. This means that your prints will always look slightly different as the experience of viewing the image is different. We strive to replicate the original artwork. If you are having your prints framed by a professional framer they can put your prints in a press for a few seconds and your prints will flatten right away.