Landscapes The Astronomical Art of Don Dixon

Caesareum Temple in Ancient Alexandria

The Caesarium (or Caesareum) was a temple built by Cleopatra VII to commemorate the deification of her murdered lover Julius Caesar and to honor her husband Marc Antony. When Octavian, Caesar's heir, conquered Antony and occupied Alexandria he destroyed every statue of the "Egyptian whore" but preserved her monument, rededicating it to himself. So travelers entering Alexandria's harbor might notice the temple he set before it two fifteen-centuries-old pylons from the temple of Ra in Heliopolis, one of which now stands behind the Metropolitan Museum in New York's Central Park and the other in London's Thames Embankment. Until the middle of the 4th century the Caesarium was the center of a temple complex that included gardens, lecture halls, and satellites of the Great Library. Converted to a Christian church in the late 4th century, The Caesarium served as headquarters to Bishop Cyril who led a campaign to stamp out all non-Christian influences in Alexandria. The philosopher Hypatia was murdered on the steps of this temple in March, 415. The artist's reconstruction above depicts how the temple might have looked during late afternoon on 15, March 415 A.D. A print of this image is available. (artwork copyright 2014 by Don Dixon)

516-water-rock-and-lantana-dixon – Afternoon sunlight dapples stones in a rock garden next to a lake. A detailed impressionistic landscape painting depicting a serene water feature flanked by large, weathered river rocks and desert flora. A vibrant green, orange, and red lantana bush grows from the crevices of the light-colored boulders, casting colorful reflections onto the rippling, sunlit water in the background. The foreground features shallow, clear water flowing over submerged stones, shifting in tone from cool blues to warm ochres under an explicit play of natural light. oil on canvas, 16x20 inches, 2019; © Don Dixon

515-moon-over-stone-man-mountain-dixon – An evocative desert landscape painting showcasing a large, gibbous Moon suspended beneath towering cumulus clouds in a bright blue sky. Below, a rugged, heavily textured mountain ridge of fractured granite is illuminated by warm, low-angle sunlight, casting deep orange, red, and ochre hues across the craggy terrain. Scatters of smaller, shadowed clouds drift near the horizon, contrasting with the sharp, geological details of the sunlit precipice.; oil on canvas, 24x36 inches, 2019 © Don Dixon

514-mendocino-garden-dixon – A bright architectural and landscape painting depicting the side view of a two-story cream-colored building adjacent to a lush coastal garden. A stone pathway winds through dense green shrubs, white flowers, and groundcover toward a small wooden bench overlooking the water. In the background, a blue ocean bay and a distant tree-lined shoreline sit beneath a sky filled with accumulating coastal clouds, while a window on the building displays a sign reading "Mendocino Music Festival." oil on canvas, 16x20 inches, 2017; © Don Dixon

New Orleans Ruins

438-new-orleans-flood-dixon –Future fishermen ply their trade amidst the flooded ruins of New Orleans after the icecaps melt. A science fiction illustration depicting a speculative, flooded future where an ornate wrought-iron gate is submerged in a bayou-like waterway. An alligator swims past the moss-draped ironwork in the foreground, while a futuristic fan boat carries two occupants down the river channel. Dense, overgrown vegetation and swamp trees swallow the ruins of old stone buildings and brick facades under a bright, partly cloudy sky, evoking a post-apocalyptic Southern Gothic atmosphere. Acrylic and gouache, 1983. © 2005 by Don Dixon.

304-sailors-delight-dixon – A dramatic maritime painting depicting a lone sailboat navigating wide ocean swells under a vivid, glowing sunset. The entire scene is bathed in intense monochromatic hues of amber, gold, and deep reddish-orange, reflecting the classic "red sky at night, sailor's delight" atmospheric condition. Two small figures are visible on the deck of the vessel as it cuts through the textured, metallic-sheened waves that dominate the composition. acrylic and gouache painting by Don Dixon, 1979

Andie's Oak

303-andies-oak-dixon –The golden light of earth's sun diffuses through the mist-filled branches of an oak tree in this unusual Don Dixon painting, which was executed in 1979 with sponge and airbrush on pebble board, giving it an interesting pointalistic and impasto texture. © Don Dixon / cosmographica.com

302-blue-starry-sky-dixon –stock background showing a deep blue sky gradient with stars - An astronomical painting depicting a clear night sky filled with countless stars of varying magnitudes. The background features a smooth, vertical gradient that transitions from a deep indigo at the top to a lighter sapphire blue near the bottom horizon. The stellar field is meticulously arranged, capturing the natural variation in brightness and color temperature of individual stars across a clean celestial canopy. acrylic and gouache painting by Don Dixon, 1984

299-greek-ruins-dixon - a Greek temple on the coast of the Aegean, opening illustration for article in Modern Maturity about Democritus, who first postulated an atomic theory of matter. A vibrant landscape painting depicting ancient classical ruins situated on a rugged clifftop overlooking a vast blue sea. The remnants of a stone temple structure with weathered fluted columns stand against a bright, hazy sun that pierces through dramatic coastal clouds. In the foreground, fallen architectural fragments and green shrubs lie scattered along the dirt path, while a large, bright green tropical leaf frames the right edge of the composition. acrylic and gouache, 1984

279-annular-eclipse-dixon – painting of annular eclipse off California coast. A dramatic astronomical painting depicting a spectacular annular eclipse hanging low over a vast, undulating ocean. The moon perfectly centers over the solar disc, creating a brilliant "ring of fire" that projects a shimmering, golden path of light across the crests of the dark waves below. High, churning clouds frame the upper sky, catching the complex, multi-toned hues of an eclipsed twilight that transitions from deep purples to warm ochres and amber oranges. 1991, acrylic and gouache

262-stage-flats-dixon – an all-too-youthful artist poses before stage flats painted for singer Johnny Rivers' Las Vegas show. The primary flat features a stylized 1970s counterculture scene, depicting people gathered in a field of orange California poppies, including Joni Mitchell playing an acoustic guitar. Acrylic on masonite, 1979.

513-new-moon-in-the-old-moons-arms-dixon –A striking astronomical painting depicting the celestial phenomenon of earthshine, where a slender, brilliant crescent Moon cradles the faintly illuminated dark side of the lunar disc. The softly glowing features of the lunar maria and highlands are visible within the earthlit portion against a deep twilight sky. In the foreground, the jagged, silhouetted crest of a rugged mountain ridge cuts diagonally across the lower right frame, establishing a dramatic terrestrial contrast to the lunar alignment. Digital rework of photograph taken April 24, 2020. copyright Don Dixon / cosmographica.com

Stars Galaxies and Cosmology

Black Holes, Exotic Stars