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Buffalo Dance No. 1

George Biddle; Lawrence Barrett

Artwork Details

Buffalo Dance No. 1
1937
George Biddle; Lawrence Barrett
lithograph on paper
12 15/16 in x 20 1/8 in (32.86 cm x 51.12 cm);22 1/16 in x 17 15/16 in (56.04 cm x 45.56 cm)
Museum Purchase
1970/1.182

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Description

Subject Matter:

Buffalo Dance No. 1 is part of a series titled the Colorado Springs Series that Biddle worked on from 1936-1937. This image depicts the Buffalo Dance, or Bison Dance, an annual dance festival of many North American Plains Indians, including the Mandan, Sioux, Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Omaha, among others. A young girl stands in front of several larger figures dressed to look like sheep and buffalo in a dance formation. Buffalo Dance No. 2 depicts American Indians wearing different apparel, but they also appear to be participating in a ceremony or dance. Biddle is credited with implementing the Federal Arts Program after reaching out to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He was inspired to create the initiative after his travels with Diego Rivera and seeing the public mural project in Mexico. 

Physical Description:

A small female figure stands in the foreground, surrounded by people wearing animal costumes resembling sheep and buffalo.

Usage Rights:

If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.