Winter Ceremony 1940

Gustave Baumann created this color woodcut, entitled Winter Ceremony, at an unknown date. The image likely depicts a ceremonial dance of the Pueblo people of the Southwestern United States. Baumann’s geometric style echoes the Native American art of the region. But how should we interpret this image? Is it a respectful representation of Pueblo culture, or a romanticized appropriation of indigenous traditions? To answer those questions, we might research the history of Native American representation in early 20th century art, considering how social attitudes towards Native Americans may have shaped Baumann’s work. We might also ask whether Baumann collaborated with Pueblo people in creating this image. We could also research the institutional history of the art market: did these images play a role in shaping early tourism in the American Southwest? These are just a few of the questions art historians ask in order to understand works of art in their full social and cultural context.