DeCost Smith (1864–1939), also known as De Cost Smith, was an American painter, illustrator, and writer best known for his depictions of Native American life and culture. Born in Skaneateles, New York, near the Onondaga reservation, Smith developed a lifelong interest in Indigenous peoples, which shaped both his artistic and literary pursuits.

In 1884, Smith journeyed west with his brother and soon after studied art in Paris, where he exhibited his work Conflicting Faiths in 1889. He later collaborated with prominent artists such as Edwin Deming and Frederic Remington, and his work focused on portraying the traditions, struggles, and leaders of tribes like the Sioux, Crow, and Onondaga. Smith also served with the Bureau of Indian Affairs during several U.S. administrations, including Theodore Roosevelt’s, and met notable figures such as Sitting Bull and Rain-in-the-Face.

In addition to painting, Smith authored two books chronicling his travels and observations of Native American communities, offering rare first-hand insights during a period of intense cultural change. His extensive collection of artifacts now resides in institutions such as the Smithsonian and the American Museum of Natural History. Smith died in Amenia, New York, in 1939 and is buried alongside his wife, Elizabeth Mills Smith.

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