Frederic Kimball Mizen (American, 1888-1964) Buffalo Dance, 1956 oil on canvas signed Frederic Mizen, titled and dated (lower right) 42 x 60 inches The buffalo dancers in Frederic Mizen's Buffalo Dance are dancers rather than Katsinas- who would be fully masked- though the purpose of this dance and ritual, generally held in winter, are the same: they are prayers for the increase of the animal. Chicago-born Frederic Mizen was a noted illustrator for Sears, Coca-Cola, and the Santa Fe Railroad. He eventually opened his own school to teach traditional art and traveled and painted throughout the Southwest. From the drummers singing and dancing in unison, to the individual reactions of the audience, Mizen's Buffalo Dance truly illustrates a moment in a larger narrative. -James D. Balestrieri