Round Dance 1931

Maynard Dixon made this painting of the Round Dance sometime in the early 20th century, I imagine outdoors, in the dry heat, with oil on canvas. Look at the ochre and faded blues, how they evoke the colors of the desert landscape. The figures huddle together, connected by the blankets that wrap around them. It feels so intimate, as if they are sharing a secret under the stars. I can feel that sense of solemnity, community, and shared experience when I look at the painting. I'm sure Dixon was thinking about the relationship between people and place, trying to capture something essential about the spirit of the West. He saw himself as a kind of visual anthropologist, documenting the lives and traditions of Native peoples. You can see echoes of painters like George Bellows in his work, that same commitment to portraying the lives of ordinary people with empathy and respect. Ultimately, it is a conversation across time and place.