Elbridge Ayer BurbankAmerican, 1858–1949Tlo-be-nel-ly
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “Tlo-be-nel-ly” now? Smithsonian American Art Museum, Luce Foundation Center, 4th Floor, 32B, Washington, D.C. Yes, on view now. Checked September 25, 2026.
Washington, D.C., United States
RoomLuce Foundation Center, 4th Floor, 32B
Closed· opens at 11:30 AM
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the painting
Elbridge Ayer Burbank wanted to portray as many American Indians as possible because he considered their very survival to be threatened. By 1914 he had created more than 1200 portraits that, displayed together, had the effect of turning his sitters into types instead of individuals. He dressed his subjects in costumes, weapons, and war paint for an “authentic” effect, yet most of Burbank’s sitters were fully assimilated into the modern world. For example, Tlo-be-nel-ly’s flowered trousers were likely mass-produced, but the artist masked this modern reality with a colorful array of handwoven blankets and jewelry.
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Details
- Accession number
- 1985.66.362,069
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Image: Smithsonian American Art Museum — CC0
