This major retrospective of Dixon’s work will include more than 70 artworks from the MOA collection and generous lenders from across the country.Maynard Dixon (1875-1946) was a prolific 20th-century American painter best known for his iconic depictions of the American West and the people who lived there. His signature style of landscapes with low horizons, dynamic clouds, and bold rock formations have made him one of the most beloved American painters of the 20th century. This exhibition will showcase these masterpiece landscapes and the equally impressive and empathetic portraits Dixon made of the land’s inhabitants, including his iconic portrayals of Native American peoples and his social realist depictions of victims of the Great Depression.A virtual exhibition will be made available before the exhibition opens, focusing on five major subjects of Dixon’s work. You can preview these subjects below.THE LANDAt the age of eighteen, Dixon had his first illustrations published in Overland Monthly. Numerous commissions followed, making Dixon one of the most successful illustrators working in Old West themes.As he moved from illustration to painting, Dixon’s subject matter remained consistent, though the style of his art evolved dramatically. His illustrations of the Old West transformed into distinctive landscapes, portraits, and genre scenes painted in a bold modern style with abstract forms and simplified color.Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), Lonesome Journey, 1946, oil on canvas, 26 1/8 x 36 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, gift of Dickman Investment, 1974.INDIGENOUS LIFEDixon was enamored with the Indigenous people he met on his travels. He developed friendships based on admiration and respect with the Flathead (Salish) and Blackfoot Tribes of Montana and the Hopi and Navajo People of Arizona and New Mexico. The invitation to embed himself into their daily routines allowed Dixon to experience distinctive cultures heavily influenced by the lands they inhabited.Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), Laseka Waken, 1922, oil on canvas, 56 5/16 x 46 3/16 x 36 inches. On loan from the Autry Museum of the American West: Southwest Museum of the American Indian.THE PEOPLEThroughout his career, Dixon created dozens of portraits of the people he met throughout the Southwest. These empathetic portrayals of individuals from all backgrounds tell the stories of those who called this land home.Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), Levi Walker, 1933, oil on canvasboard, 19 3/4 x 14 7/16 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, 1937.FORGOTTEN MENBeginning with the stock market crash in 1929, millions of American workers lost their jobs, savings, and homes during the Great Depression. Men (and families) wandered the country looking for work while those with jobs fought for better working conditions. Moved by the growing adversity he saw, Dixon turned his attention from the Western landscape to documenting the hopelessness and insecurity sweeping across America.Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), Forgotten Man, 1934, oil on canvas, 40 x 50 1/8 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, 1937.OTHER PEOPLE’S HOUSESDixon was intrigued by the daily activities of people, particularly as they moved in and around their homes. Based on the number and variety of scenes he painted, this idea of “home” seems to have preoccupied his thoughts. The observations Dixon made during his travels were his motivation to eventually settle in the West.Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), Empty House, 1935, oil on canvas, 30 1/4 x 25 1/8 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, 1937.
