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We know from many sources that North American Indian art was held in high esteem by AndrČ Breton and his surrealist friends, the best known being Paul Eluard and Max Ernst. They were neither the first nor the only people to be fascinated by these faraway cultures, whose legends often animated their childhood dreams. Stories from The Conquest of the West and tales of cowboys and Indians found their way across Europe and inspired generations of budding Indian specialists.
Rimbaud was the first of his time to evoke "Howling redskins" and "painted posts" in The Drunken Boat.
A hint of exoticism was in the air, carried by the winds of the great prairies. One "smoked the peace pipe" in the workers' guild and wore one's "war paint" on the outskirts of town, while the young AndrČ Breton plunged into the adventures of Costal l'Indien, given to him as rewards for his diligence at school.
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