watercolor
This carefully constructed high action scene of two Indians riding in an attacking mode is set against a classic southwestern Maynard Dixonish streamlined landscape. That foreground and background have been reduced to its essence, thus evoking Dixon's iconic and widely admired style. Only a single plant of sage is presented in the foreground. The ridge lined background provides a well defined sense of depth to the composition which is then completed by the set back of the other rider on the right.
In 1911, the year in which Dixon executed this painting Dr. Mark Sublette tells us that the artist received multiple honors validating his accomplishments since moving to New York from California some three years earlier. These are detailed in his comprehensive and excellent recent work on Dixon titled, Maynard Dixon's American West. That year Dixon was elected to the New York Society of Illustrators as well as the Architectural League. In addition he was inducted into the Salmagundi Club (very prestigious then and still even today). He was also illustrating several books, one of which was Texican by Duane Coolidge. In all since arriving in New York, he had already made quite a series of very professional artistic engagements as a magazine illustrator. In 1908, he first met Charles M. Russell along with Ernest Blumenshien, Buck Danton, and Robert Henri, all noteworthy peers.
This painting provides solid evidence of Dixon's compositional skills along with his ability to capture both the human and equestrian forms at a critical moment in the event depicted. The imminent loss of control of the elevated rifle accompanied by the horses rearing up due to the extreme tension in reins by the wounded rider leaves no doubt about what is occurring beyond the left edge of the canvas.
As Frederic Remington admonished in 1902, Dixon has done his very best to convey for the viewer's contemplation the type of action lying outside and beyond the picture's frame. Go to https://cmrussell.org/2023-august-catalog/ to refer to the Remington quote in the next to last paragraph in lot number 135.

available upon request

29.7 x 21.5 in