The Burning of Zozobra

Artist Paul D. Holman, MD (American, 1943 - 2020)

Date2009

Place madeSanta Fe, New Mexico, United States, Southwest US, North America

Mediumoil on canvas (frame: carved and painted poplar)

Dimensions20 × 17 × 1 in. (50.8001 × 43.1801 × 2.54 cm)

ClassificationsPainting

Credit LineGift of the Estate of Paul D. Holman, MD

Object numberA.2022.70.2

DescriptionThis painting of the burning of Zozobra show the crowd in the foreground, along with the fire dancers holding their torches beneath Zozobra in the moments before he his set on fire. Fireworks in the background light the night sky. Holman wrote the following about The Burning of Zozobra: “The burning of Zozobra is one of the favorite festivals in Santa Fe. Each September fire is set to this 50 foot tall puppet, signaling the death of Old Man Gloom and burning up any worries the people may have. In this painting I tried to use every color in the box. I made the frame with poplar wood.”

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