Feast Day at Acoma

William Penhallow Henderson first visited New Mexico as a child and returned to Santa Fe in 1916 as a mature artist. Inspired by the vibrant colors and expressive brushwork of Paul Cézanne and Paul Gaugin, Henderson used bold, saturated color and high contrasts to capture the vibrancy of New Mexico’s landscapes and communities. Henderson was fascinated by Native American and Hispanic cultures in New Mexico, both of which shape feast days throughout the state. At Acoma, the feast day, held in honor of St. Stephen, combines Catholic observances with Pueblo dances, music, clothing, art, and food. Feast days remain incredibly sacred to the communities who hold them, as both a religious rite and a joyful celebration of community. Sketching or photographing a feast day is forbidden, so Henderson probably painted this scene from memory.