642:"The Lovelies of John Alan Maxwell" Exhibition of works by Maxwell at the Carroll Reece Museum. April–July 2014. Artist John Alan Maxwell was known for his classical book and magazine illustrations for authors such as Pearl Buck, John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway. This exhibit examines Maxwell's under appreciated mastery of the human form. Esquire Magazine once described Maxwell's portrayals of nudes as "dangerous". Included in the exhibition is an ongoing screening of the documentary film, The Lovelies of John Alan Maxwell. Curated by Douglas Stuart McDaniel and Reece Museum staff
175:, at 428 1/2 West Locust Street, the son of Arthur Clifford Maxwell and Bessie Mae (Ball) Maxwell. He was the oldest of five children, including Elizabeth Victoria Maxwell (Smedberg), Clifford Arthur Maxwell, Gladys Virginia Maxwell (McDaniel), and Julia Reeve Maxwell (Croasdell). He first married Stella Freeman. This marriage ended in the mid-1950s. He married Michele O'Hara in the 1960s.
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was to his misty mid-regions. The only question we are permitted to ask is, "How far can nostalgia go without becoming the mutterings of an old man in his beer (or his bourbon) who likes to tell you, ad infinitum, about things that have ceased to interest anyone but himself, and himself only because
639:"John Alan Maxwell: Illustrator of Romance" Exhibition of works by Maxwell at the Carroll Reece Museum. January–April, 2009. Exhibition included works Maxwell illustrated for Steinbeck, Tarkington, Buck, Conan Doyle, curated by Douglas Stuart McDaniel and Reece Museum staff
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That
Maxwell should spend his efforts upon a romanticized, literary past is no less legitimate than the preoccupation of a Chirico with long sad vistas in towns that never were. Maxwell is entitled to his moon-drenched graveyards as
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While distinctions between artists and illustrators have not always favored the quiet work of the 20th century book and magazine illustrator, John Alan
Maxwell was named one of the top ten illustrators in the country in 1936 by the
506:, followed by Wyeth's illustration of a 1934 edition of the same book. Both editions featured interior decorations by Allan McNab. Maxwell's 1933 dust jacket illustration re-appears as an embossed duotone on a bookbound edition of
313:, he won first place in the Society of Illustrators competition in New York—and was named one of the top 10 illustrators in the country. A prolific illustrator, other authors for whom he illustrated include
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in 1936. This same illustration also appears on a 1933 wooden Arteno "Picture Puzzle" in full color. Wyeth and
Maxwell both illustrated books for Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, the authors of
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John Alan
Maxwell, one of today's brightest lights in the illustrating field, yearns for times past, places forgotten, a world most imaginary, popularly supposed to have been
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until it was demolished in 1956. Maxwell returned to
Johnson City shortly thereafter, and continued to work at his studio at 428 West Locust Street until his death in 1984.
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of early twentieth-century
American artists who often painted pictures of New York city life. One of his other teachers was noted book and magazine illustrator
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Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday, 1957. The gentleman from
Indianapolis; a treasury of Booth Tarkington, edited by John Beecroft. Illustrated by John Alan Maxwell
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Maxwell, when he loosens the shackles which have married him to the past, has a chance of becoming the painter of the most dangerous nudes in
America, as
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By 1925, at the age of 21, Maxwell was illustrating for
Collier's and Golden Book magazines and had established a studio at the famous
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astral trapezoids, there is a place in art for sheer romance, for flesh over honest bones, for mysteries in hair, for odor and sound.
123:(March 7, 1904 – April 13, 1984) was an American artist known primarily for his book and magazine illustrations, as well as
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illustrations for Pearl Buck, Edna Ferber, John
Steinbeck, Hervey Allen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Christopher Morley, Aldous Huxley
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Here is a romantic painter of dangerously exciting women--women with 'great mystery in their hair and moisture on their hands.'
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726:"John Alan Maxwell: A Long, Distinguished Career" article by Dorothy Hamill from Johnson City Press-Chronicle, January 17, 1981
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Collier's Magazine December 24, 1927 A Way With Women a short story by John B. Kennedy with illustrations by John Alan Maxwell
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Major Exhibition on New York's Famed Tenth Street Studio Building- A Fascinating Chapter in the Developing National Art Scene
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in New York. He was described in a 1947 profile in American Artist magazine as the quintessential "illustrator of romance".
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in Knoxville, Tennessee. The film was written, directed, and produced by Maxwell's great nephew, Douglas Stuart McDaniel.
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Collier's Magazine December 10, 1927 Edgar Ain't Wuth It a short story by Ernest Poole. Illustrated by John Alan Maxwell.
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Interior Artwork; Woman's Home Companion Sep '44 A Curse on Thee, Cordelia • Helen Strass • ss; illus. John Alan Maxwell
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The Flight to Varennes Part 2 of 4 • Alexandre Dumas; trans. by Richard S. Garnett • sl, 1930; illus. John Alan Maxwell
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In a profile of Maxwell in the February, 1948 issue of Esquire Magazine, writer Robert U. Godsoe described the artist:
403:(1938) for literature, and these book illustrations are encased along with Buck's Nobel Prize in a glass case at the
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Interior Artwork; The American Magazine Jan '48 Flight into Spring • Bianca Bradbury • ss; illus. John Alan Maxwell
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Interior Artwork; Colliers Aug 1 '42 The Baltimore Burnt-Eyes • Herbert Ravenel Sass • ss; illus. John Alan Maxwell
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and to all the many talents of the modern South. Because you can't ever, really, try as you will, go home again.
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Interior Artwork; Woman's Home Companion Aug '45 A Pair of Wings • Edita Morris • ss; illus. John Alan Maxwell
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Interior Artwork; The Country Gentleman Oct '42 Biography • Will F. Jenkins • ss; illus. John Alan Maxwell
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Interior Artwork; Ladies Home Journal Oct '36 Fair Day • Ruth Burr Sanborn • ss; illus. John Alan Maxwell
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An illustration signed by Maxwell for the official theater poster for Ernest Hemingway's 1943 film
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Interior Artwork; Colliers Aug 13 '27 Loot • Albert Payson Terhune • ss; illus. John Alan Maxwell
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for over a decade, including the portrait of the author's mother for the cover of the 1935 book,
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he has nothing better to do?" What we are attempting to say to John Maxwell, then, his neighbor
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486:, an important 20th century illustrator. Maxwell and Wyeth each illustrated five novels for
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For the Doubleday Doran & Company, Maxwell illustrated a 1929 United States edition of
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588:, 25¢, 128pp, small pulp, cover by John Alan Maxwell); Partial contents from EBAY auction.
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Mary, Queen of Scots • Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve • bg (r); illus. John Alan Maxwell
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Hopper, James Marie, 1876-1956 Medals of honor, with illustrations by John Alan Maxwell
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in addition to his illustrations of the serialized editions of these two books in
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from 1935 to 1937. Mrs. Buck was the first American woman to be awarded both the
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Today, Maxwell's original illustrations also adorn recent reprint editions of
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series. Maxwell illustrated the dust jacket for the 1933 first edition of
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By the early 1930s, Maxwell was illustrating for such noted writers as
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Cover Artist; The Golden Book Magazine Aug '35 Golden Book Magazine (
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Cover Artist; The Golden Book Magazine Jul '35 Golden Book Magazine (
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Maxwell was still illustrating books for Eckert when he died in 1984.
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Seasons of Life: American Impressionism and Frank Vincent DuMond
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Local filmmaker debuts movie about his great-uncle on Saturday
747:"He Left a Legacy: Johnson City Press Chronicle, April, 1984.
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Maxwell illustrated multiple books and magazine serials for
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In 1936, according to his 1984 obituary in the Johnson City
770:"Illustrators of Sabatini Houghton Mifflin First Editions"
439:. The urge is a charming, if sometimes macabre nostalgia.
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Society of Illustrators Top Ten in the United States, 1936
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Pearl Buck's Portrait of Her Fighting Missionary Father
490:. Wyeth and Maxwell also both illustrated works for
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662:"East Tennessee State University: Sherrod Library"
567:Interior Artwork; The Golden Book Magazine Nov '30
561:Interior Artwork; The Golden Book Magazine Apr '30
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785:, (Knoxville News Sentinel, February 16, 2013.)
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876:Corcoran School of the Arts and Design alumni
759:, Esquire Magazine, February 1948, pp. 94-95.
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131:for many commercial publications, including
807:ArtFacts: The Lovelies of John Alan Maxwell
186:in Johnson City. At 16, he enrolled at the
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795:John Alan Maxwell: Illustrator of Romance
688:Student transcripts: Art Students League
302:. His erotic drawings enhance Le Sage's
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416:The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel
856:Art Students League of New York alumni
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836:4. History of the Tenth Street Studio
88:historical paintings and illustration
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797:, (ETSU CASS News, January 22, 2009)
304:Asmodeus, or The Devil on Two Sticks
80:Corcoran School, Art Students League
871:People from Johnson City, Tennessee
238:— including such famous artists as
349:. He maintained his studio at the
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625:The Lovelies of John Alan Maxwell
363:was sold on eBay in March, 2011.
198:, where he studied under painter
194:He continued his studies at the
182:in a drug store while attending
550:Partial List of Maxwell's works
210:, whose students also included
196:Art Students League of New York
866:Artists from Roanoke, Virginia
482:Maxwell was a contemporary of
294:Sir Hercules and Lady Filomena
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821:1. Askart: John Alan Maxwell
228:Tenth Street Studio Building
522:originally appeared in the
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826:2. Society of Illustrators
163:Early years and education
140:The Saturday Evening Post
184:Science Hill High School
145:The Golden Book Magazine
470:fiendish austerity, of
374:Society of Illustrators
359:For Whom the Bell Tolls
236:American Impressionists
173:Johnson City, Tennessee
881:Artists from Tennessee
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420:Baroness Emmuska Orczy
409:Perkasie, Pennsylvania
393:Woman's Home Companion
288:His illustrations for
275:Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
188:Corcoran School of Art
156:Woman's Home Companion
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534:'s novels, including
524:Saturday Evening Post
260:William Merritt Chase
150:The American Magazine
512:Mutiny on the Bounty
208:Frank Vincent DuMond
178:Maxwell worked as a
167:Maxwell was born in
125:historical paintings
757:Nostalgia and Nudes
452:said to him and to
351:Tenth Street Studio
240:Frederick E. Church
232:Hudson River School
831:3. Rafael Sabatini
714:2014-05-12 at the
496:Horatio Hornblower
271:Christopher Morley
252:Sanford R. Gifford
202:, a member of the
585:Review of Reviews
576:Review of Reviews
540:Wilderness Empire
323:F. Van Wyck Mason
169:Roanoke, Virginia
127:. He also was an
121:John Alan Maxwell
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536:The Frontiersmen
405:Green Hills Farm
339:Booth Tarkington
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244:Albert Bierstadt
212:Georgia O'Keeffe
192:Washington, D.C.
134:Collier's Weekly
106:romantic realism
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466:In this day of
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299:Brave New World
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94:Notable work
861:1984 deaths
851:1904 births
635:Exhibitions
528:Out of Gas.
526:in 1939 as
520:No More Gas
518:(Maxwell).
516:No More Gas
494:'s popular
476:Kandinsky's
401:Nobel Prize
399:(1932) and
331:Frank Yerby
283:Edna Ferber
200:George Luks
129:illustrator
69:Nationality
43:Roanoke, VA
845:Categories
672:2007-11-26
649:References
484:N.C. Wyeth
468:Mondrian's
56:1984-04-14
37:1904-03-07
450:Tom Wolfe
385:The Exile
180:soda jerk
77:Education
712:Archived
644:ArtFacts
454:Faulkner
103:Movement
72:American
461:Maillol
234:to the
54: (
35: (
345:, and
153:, and
111:Awards
437:Dixie
620:Film
542:and
281:and
258:and
214:and
49:Died
26:Born
502:'s
445:Poe
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