Early Life and Education
- Born: November 22, 1895, in Waterville, Minnesota
- Parents: Arthur Clark Dehn (father) and Emilie Haas Dehn (mother), both socialists.
- Early artistic talent evident from the age of six.
- Graduated as valedictorian from Waterville High School in 1914.
- Attended the Minneapolis School of Art (later Minneapolis College of Art and Design) from 1914 to 1917. Studied under Robert Kohler.
- Formed a close friendship with Wanda Gág, also an artist.
- Received a scholarship to the Art Students League of New York in 1917.
World War I and Early Career
- Drafted into World War I in 1918 but declared himself a conscientious objector.
- Imprisoned for four months in Spartanburg, South Carolina, due to his objection.
- Later worked as a painting teacher at an army rehabilitation hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.
- Returned to the Art Students League for further study.
- Created his first lithograph, *The Harvest*, around 1920.
- Exhibited his lithographs at the Weyhe Gallery in New York City in 1921.
European Period and Development as an Artist
- Traveled to Europe in 1921, residing primarily in Paris and Vienna.
- Associated with a group of intellectuals and artists including Andrée Ruellan, Gertrude Stein, and E.E. Cummings.
- Supported himself through illustration work for magazines like *Vanity Fair*.
- Developed his distinctive style characterized by unusual tonal and textural effects in printmaking.
- His work began to reflect the social scene of Europe, particularly Vienna and Berlin.
Return to America and Mature Artistic Style
- Returned to New York City in 1929.
- Artwork featured in magazines such as *The New Yorker* and *Vogue*.
- Began focusing on watercolor painting in the mid-1930s, achieving significant recognition.
- Received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1939, enabling travel to the Western United States and Mexico.
- His watercolors depicted scenes of farms and farmlands in rural America, inspired by trips back to Minnesota.
- Became known for his vibrant landscapes and depictions of everyday life.
- Second Guggenheim Fellowship awarded in 1951.
Legacy and Historical Significance
- Elected as a full academician to the National Academy of Design and a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters.
- His works are held in over 100 museums worldwide, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Museum of Modern Art.
- Recognized for his contributions to lithography, watercolor painting, and caricature.
- Influenced other artists, notably Jackson Pollock, with his innovative techniques.
- Died on May 19, 1968, leaving behind a prolific body of work that reflects his diverse experiences and artistic evolution.
- His art is considered representative of Regionalism, Social Realism, and caricature movements in American art.
