The painting depicts a traditional Swedish Midsummer celebration in the province of Dalarna. In the background to the right there is a maypole with a Swedish flag at the top. The dancers are all wearing folk costumes. In the House with a red gable the first morning light is reflected.
The depicted village, Morkarlby outside Mora, is not far from Zorn's own birthplace. After living abroad for several years, Zorn and his wife Emma moved back to Dalarna in 1896. In the following years he made great efforts to preserve the local folk music. The traditional Midsummer celebration had diminished in the Dalarna because of the religious revival that has emerged since the mid-19th century. To counteract this, Zorn annually donated a Maypole to Morkarlby.
