William de Leftwich Dodge: Watercolors of Mexico

 

About the Institute and Exhibit Program

Founded in 1924, the Middle American Research Institute (M.A.R.I.) at Tulane University strives to promote greater understanding of the vibrant and diverse cultures of Mesoamerica, the area encompassing much of Mexico and Central America.

The Institute stewards an extensive collection of textiles, artifacts, and ethnographic materials and an archive of letters, field notes, maps, and photographs gathered during field projects and given by generous donors. M.A.R.I. endeavors to make these collections visible and accessible to researchers, students, and the general public through exhibitions, workshops, symposia, and scholarly publications.

M.A.R.I. interns have the opportunity to work with and research the Institute’s archival and artifact collections. The culmination of their hard work is an online exhibit available through Tulane’s library website. These exhibits cover a wide range of topics showcasing the people and material culture of Mesoamerica.

 

William de Leftwich Dodge: Watercolors of Mexico

William de Leftwich Dodge is recognized as one of the most prominent American muralists of the twentieth century, with works featured in buildings across the United States. Although Dodge’s first trip to the archaeological sites of Mexico did not occur until late in his life, archaeology was a subject of much interest even during his early studies in Paris. As part of his trip to Mesoamerica in 1930-31, Dodge created a series of watercolor paintings depicting the archaeological sites and ongoing excavations he witnessed, commemorating a pivotal era in Mesoamerican archaeology.

 

Creation date: Spring 2021

Acknowledgements: The exhibit was designed by Archives Intern Zoe Fritz; supervised by Erin Patterson, M.A.R.I. Archive Manager; and edited by Emily Davis-Hale.