The Fire Dance

Copied Louis Potter, The Fire Dance, 1907, bronze, 30 x 11 3⁄4 x 11 3⁄4 in. (76.2 x 29.8 x 29.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. George R. Percy, 1917.3.1
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
The Fire Dance
Artist
Date
1907
Location
Dimensions
30 x 11 3⁄4 x 11 3⁄4 in. (76.2 x 29.8 x 29.8 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. George R. Percy
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze
Classifications
Subjects
  • Ceremony — dance — Fire Dance
  • Ceremony — Indian
  • Figure male — full length
  • Figure male — nude
  • Indian
Object Number
1917.3.1
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1917.3.1

Artwork Description

The Fire Dance is one of many works that grew out of Louis Potter’s experiences with the native cultures in Alaska. It is possible that the artist saw a fire dance ceremony, popular with many Native American nations at the time. The graceful lines of the arms and the legs and the exaggerated, forward motion of the dancer capture the intensity of this ritual, which the participants regarded as a joyful battle with nature’s elements.