ledger art

Ledger art is a form of Native American visual storytelling that emerged in the late 19th century. It involves creating detailed drawings and paintings on pages from ledger books—financial records originally used by traders and agencies. Indigenous artists transformed these pages into vibrant artworks, depicting scenes of daily life, battles, ceremonies, and historical events. This practice allowed Native artists to preserve and share their culture and history during a time of significant change and displacement. Today, ledger art is recognized as a meaningful and evolving cultural tradition that honors Indigenous storytelling and artistic expression.