“Round Dance” Navajo Pictorial Rug by Isabel John (1933-2004), Navajo-Diné

”Round Dance” is a notable example from Isabel John’s body of work. It dates to her mature pictorial period (post-1973, likely 1980s or similar), when she was celebrated as the matriarch of the Many Farms pictorial style, named after her area near Canyon de Chelly, emphasizing detailed, narrative depictions of Diné (Navajo) communal life using hand-spun wool in natural, vegetal, and aniline dyes. The composition vividly portrays a Round Dance, also known as a social or friendship dance in some Indigenous contexts, though in Navajo traditions it can tie into intertribal or social gatherings, often featuring hand-holding circles for unity, celebration, or healing. Hand-spun wool in natural, vegetal, and aniline dyes. 36″ x 48″