BISMARCK – The free lecture series, “A Vision of the Village: The Double Ditch Cyclorama,” featuring presentations about the large Double Ditch painting (cyclorama) on exhibit at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum, continues on Saturday, Feb.13, at 2 p.m. Attendees will learn how this spectacular, 50-foot long original painting by Boston-area artist Robert Evans was conceived, what research went into making it historically accurate, and how it incorporates aspects of Mandan language and culture. 
 
The second lecture in this six-part series is “Outside Looking In: The Integration of Art, History, and Anthropology in the Double Ditch Cyclorama.” Presenter Doug Wurtz will provide details about the research that went into creating this realistic representation of a 16th-century Mandan village. The discussion will include how information from historical paintings by Karl Bodmer and George Catlin, the notes and observations of anthropologists, and the journals of fur traders and explorers were used and incorporated into the Double Ditch painting.
 
Upcoming presentations in the series are “From Trowel to Paintbrush: Archaeology and the Double Ditch Cyclorama” on March 12, “It Takes a Village: Urban Living at Double Ditch” on April 9, “More Than Meets the Eye: A Closer Look at Mandan Society” on May 21, and “In the Heartland: Natural Resources in Mandan Life” on June 11. Part of the Second Saturdays in the Galleries sponsored by the State Historical Society of North Dakota, this series is a partnership with the North Dakota Archaeological Association. 
 
For more information about this lecture series, contact Erik Holland at 701.328.2792. Find out more about additional upcoming educational programs sponsored by the State Historical Society of North Dakota at history.nd.gov or call 701.328.2666.