Street Scene, Funchal, Madeira

Born in Southport, Dixon painted landscapes and figures, showing his work at the Royal Academy and in regional galleries. He trained at London's Slade School of Art around the end of the nineteenth century when many of the Slade's tutors and former students were dominating the New English Art Club. As a leading figure in English Impressionism, Philip Wilson Steer (1860-1942) was one of Slade's most influential tutors at that time. The influence of both Steer's teaching and French Impressionism are evident in this piece. Using broad brush strokes and a bright palette, Dixon was concerned with capturing the effects of light and shadow cast over the street.