MAYNARD DIXON
“LLANO DE LOS PASTORES”
OIL 25" X 30" 1931
Signed Lower Left “Maynard Dixon N.Mex. Oct. 1931”
This painting is being sold to benefit the acquisition fund of the Petrie Institute of Western American Art, Denver Art Museum
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Maxwell Alexander Gallery is proud to present a new arrival by Western Regionalist, Maynard Dixon. "Llano de Los Pastores" (Translated: "Shepard(s) Plains") features a rare large New Mexico scene by Dixon. This painting comes from the Denver Art Museum's permanent collection and it is now available to purchase exclusively through Maxwell Alexander Gallery. Funds from this sale will benefit the acquisition fund of the Petrie Institute of Western American Art at the Denver Art Museum.
Maynard Dixon first visited New Mexico in 1900 and stayed just a couple of months. On that first New Mexico trip, the artist created many pencil sketches with his travels throughout the state. He wouldn't return until the summer of 1931. Dixon, along with many known artists of the time, was a successful illustrator, and as a result he become friends with artist, E.L. Blumenschein. Blumenschein reportedly wanted Dixon to join his artist group that would later become The Taos Society of Artists. Besides his association with the Bohemian Club, Dixon generally found artist groups to be too confining and ultimately remained an independent artist throughout his life.
Dixon's true modernist style began to emerge post 1918, but his paintings from the 1930's are some of his best. "Llano de Los Pastores" is a rare larger scale painting of a New Mexico landscape created on his second trip to the state. The simplified landscape features a line of shrubbery leading to large gorge in the distance, which then leads your eyes to the rolling hills in the background. The mastery of value (the light and dark of a color), leading lines, and overall ability to convey the vastness of the American West, are just some of the elements that make Maynard Dixon so special.
"Llano de Lost Pastores" is signed in the lower left "Maynard Dixon N.Mex Oct. 1931". It is also signed on the verso with the artist's studio address, painting title, and the number 435 circled (which corresponds to his inventory list of paintings he created). A gallery stamp can be seen on the upper stretcher bar, "Main Trail Galleries. Scottsdale, AZ."
