When did Farny first visit with the Zuni Indians?
What the evidence shows is that prior to visiting the Sioux at Fort Yates in late October of 1881, Farny had *planned* on visiting the border of New Mexico and Arizona in early September. For example, on August 18, 1881, The Cincinnati Enquirer noted that “Farny, “the artist”, will go to New Mexico about September 1st to make a number of sketches for a magazine article. He will be absent about six weeks”.
The “six weeks” estimate is likely on the exaggerated side, given Farny had a macaroni dinner party planned for his old friend Tait on September 24th.
Consistent with the august 14th article, the Enquirer followed that up with a September 04th article noting that “Artist FARNY will soon depart upon an extended tour through New and Old Mexico, whither he goes for the purpose of sketching the magnificent mountain scenery along the line of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad. He will be provided with an escort to protect him from the hair-lifting Apaches.”
It just so happens that the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad passed within 30 miles of the Zuni’s principal village. Moreover, there was no news regarding Farny’s movements for twenty days following the September 04 article, so there was a legitimate time frame in which he could have made the trip, stayed for a few days to a week, and then returned.
There is other anecdotal evidence to suggest he went as well, but it will take a book to explain it all. It’s best summed up that I can find no conclusive evidence he went to see the Zuni in 1881.
It is well-documented, on the other hand, that Farny did visit with the Zuni during a summer trip to Washington, D. C. Six members of the tribe had been touring for several months, guided by Frank Cushing, an anthropologist who would had been living with Zuni to better understand them and upon whom it fell to write the article, “My Adventures with the Zuni”, for Century Magazine that Farny would illustrate.
Frank Cushing’s life with the Zunis spanned several years. With plenty to say, Cushing’s article was published in three parts.
Part I – 1882-12: Frank H. Cushing’s “My Adventures in Zuni”, Part I, pg191, Vol XXV, No2.
Part II – 1883-02 Frank H. Cushing’s “My Adventures in Zuni”, Part II, pg500, Vol XXV, No4.
Part III – 1883-05 Frank H. Cushing’s “My Adventures in Zuni”, Part III, pg28, Vol XXVI, No1.
Below are the images from Part I (View Part II and Part III on this site). You’ll note a variety of signatures styles by Farny throughout Cushing’s article. It’s not clear which images Farny tackled first and which he did later, but as I discuss on the signature page, we can make an educated guess as to how they might have evolved.
