Artwork
Dance in a Subterranean Roundhouse at Clear Lake, California
Dance in a Subterranean Roundhouse at Clear Lake, California is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Jules Tavernier. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The title locates the scene in a roundhouse, a traditional architectural form, grounding the depiction in a specific cultural and spatial context.
Jules Tavernier's 1890 oil painting, Dance in a Subterranean Roundhouse at Clear Lake, California, depicts a ceremonial gathering within an indigenous subterranean structure. The composition centers on figures, men and women, engaged in dance, capturing the dynamic movement of the performance. While the work serves as a visual record of a specific cultural event at Clear Lake, its primary subject is the act of dancing itself, portrayed through the interaction of multiple figures.
The title locates the scene in a roundhouse, a traditional architectural form, grounding the depiction in a specific cultural and spatial context. The painting functions as a representation of this communal ritual, focusing on the participants and their activity rather than the surrounding landscape or external observers.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1890, the work is an oil painting on canvas, as confirmed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection data. The oil medium, applied to a stretched canvas support, was standard for the period. The composition depicts dancers within a subterranean roundhouse, accompanied by men and women, emphasizing movement and interaction. Specific details of handling or current condition are not documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
The painting Dance in a Subterranean Roundhouse at Clear Lake, California was executed by Jules Tavernier in 1890 using oil on canvas. It depicts a ceremonial dance at Clear Lake, California, though no documentary evidence of a commission survives. The work later entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is presently held.
While the source data confirms the artwork's location within the museum's holdings, it does not provide a specific accession or inventory number, nor list any exhibitions where the piece has been displayed.
Overview
Jules Tavernier, a French-American artist, completed Dance in a Subterranean Roundhouse at Clear Lake, California in 1890. This oil painting captures a dynamic gathering within a dimly lit interior. The work is a notable example of his engagement with American subjects, rendered with an approach that resonates with American Impressionism. It currently resides in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jules Wilhelm Tavernier (27 April 1844 – 18 May 1889) was a French-American painter, draftsman, illustrator, and member of Hawaii’s Volcano School.
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