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The 2 Most Famous Dixie Selden Paintings, Each One of a Kind
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 3 works by Dixie Selden in our catalogue
In short
Portrait of Mary M. Emery (1932) is the Dixie Selden painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati. Among the 3 works of Dixie Selden in our catalog, these 2 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
1868 – 1935, Cincinnati
Most works: Cincinnati Art Museum
Top 10 paintings by Dixie Selden, through the gallery's eye
The museums that keep Dixie Selden's originals
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Dixie Selden | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Cincinnati Art Museum |
Cincinnati | 2 | Portrait of Mary M. Emery, Still Life |
Dixie Selden across the years: the unique originals of each
Between 1926 and 1932, 7 years in all, Dixie Selden made every dated original shown here: a short span, followed year by year.
Works per year
Pick a year to see its originals.
Dixie Selden's paintings: questions for the gallery
What is the single most famous work of Dixie Selden?Reveal the answer
Portrait of Mary M. Emery (1932).
At what age did Dixie Selden create Portrait of Mary M. Emery?Reveal the answer
64 years old: Portrait of Mary M. Emery dates from 1932, and Dixie Selden was born in 1868.
How many works by Dixie Selden are known?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 3 works by Dixie Selden, dated from 1926 to 1932.
Where can the most famous Dixie Selden originals be seen?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Cincinnati Art Museum (Cincinnati). The museum table above lists them all.
Which famous Dixie Selden painting is the earliest, and which the latest?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is Still Life (1926) and the latest Portrait of Mary M. Emery (1932).
What Dixie Selden originals can I see at the Cincinnati Art Museum?Reveal the answer
Portrait of Mary M. Emery and Still Life: the Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati holds 2 of the works on this page.
Dixie Selden: a portrait of the artist
The early years in Cincinnati and Covington
Born on February 28, 1868, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Dixie Selden spent her earliest years across the river in Covington, Kentucky. She lived there with her parents, John and Martha Selden, until their deaths in 1909. Her formal training began at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, then known as the McMicken School of Design, where she enrolled in 1884. The halls of the academy brought her into contact with instructors such as Vincent Nowottny, Henrietta Wilson, and L.H. Meakin.
The influence of Frank Duveneck left a deep mark on her early practice. She attended his classes in 1890, 1891, and 1903, eventually becoming one of his favorite students. This period of intense private study led her to adopt the Munich style. Her connection to him was personal enough that she painted his portrait before he passed away.
A shift in palette and subject
By 1894, at the age of twenty-six, Selden began advertising herself as a professional portrait painter. She established a commercial business by painting the members of Cincinnati’s elite society. During these early years, her work often focused on domestic scenes, flowers, and portraits. However, she used her summer and fall months to travel and capture landscapes.
A significant change occurred around 1913 after she studied with William Merritt Chase in Venice, Italy. This experience prompted her to move away from the Munich style toward a more colorful Impressionist palette and technique. In 1914, she continued her studies under Henry B. Snell at St. Ives, England. Her later works often captured the daily life of the places she visited, including:
- Village street scenes and harbors
- Portraits of local citizens in festival costume
- Landscapes from travels through Europe, such as Brittany, Spain, and Scandinavia
- Scenes from China, Japan, Mexico, and Canada
- Views from the Middle East and northern Africa, including Egypt
Professional life and legacy
Selden’s output varied in scale, ranging from small thumb-nail oil sketches to larger works measuring 20 by 30 inches. Some of her smaller pieces were completed in just two days. Her work was frequently shown at institutions such as the National Academy of Design, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Detroit Institute of Arts. She also exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
Beyond her individual studio practice, she held leadership roles within the local art community. She served as President of the Cincinnati Woman's Art Club and was an active member of the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors. Today, her paintings can be found in the collections of the Cincinnati Art Museum and the University of Cincinnati.