Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
The Home Seekers
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1907
Dimensions:
24 × 16 in. (61 × 40.6 cm)
Brandywine River Museum of Art, Anonymous gift, 2017
Accession number: 2017.2
Label Copy:
There is no specific reference to The Home Seekers in the artist's correspondence; however, in a letter to his mother he wrote: "First, in the morning, Mr. Mapes of the Cream of Wheat Co. paid me a flying visit....we had quite a chat, the result of which I shall paint one more ad for him. By the way, the idea I presented for his approval was thought up while we were talking. I believe the Cream of Wheat atmosphere was conducive" (NCW to Henriette Zirngielbel Wyeth, Oct. 14, 1907, Wyeth Family Archives). There are two more letters (August 7, 1908 and April 23, 1909) which mention unspecified work for the Cream of Wheat Company.
Although the first owner of the painting, Emory Mapes, was the founder of the Cream of Wheat Company, there is no evidence that this study was ever worked into a finished painting.
There is no specific reference to The Home Seekers in the artist's correspondence; however, in a letter to his mother he wrote: "First, in the morning, Mr. Mapes of the Cream of Wheat Co. paid me a flying visit....we had quite a chat, the result of which I shall paint one more ad for him. By the way, the idea I presented for his approval was thought up while we were talking. I believe the Cream of Wheat atmosphere was conducive" (NCW to Henriette Zirngielbel Wyeth, Oct. 14, 1907, Wyeth Family Archives). There are two more letters (August 7, 1908 and April 23, 1909) which mention unspecified work for the Cream of Wheat Company.
Although the first owner of the painting, Emory Mapes, was the founder of the Cream of Wheat Company, there is no evidence that this study was ever worked into a finished painting.
Research Number: NCW: 915
InscribedBottom center: "THE HOME-SEEKERS" (underlined); lower right: N C W
ProvenanceThe artist; Emery Mapes; descended in family; (Kramer Gallery, Minneapolis, MN, 1999); Private collection, St. Peter, MN to 2017;
References
Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), C.4, p. 638, 639
Curatorial RemarksThere is no specific reference to "The Home Seekers" in the artist's correspondence, however, in a letter to his mother he wrote: "First, in the morning, Mr. Mapes of the Cream of Wheat Co. paid me a flying visit....we had quite a chat the result of which I shall paint one more add (sic) for him. By the way, the idea I presented for his approval was thought up while we were talking. I believe the Cream of Wheat atmoshpere was conducive" (NCW to Henriette Zirngielbel Wyeth, "After receiving and reading your last letter..." and dated in another hand Oct. 14, 1907, Wyeth Family Archives). There are two more letters (August 7, 1908 and April 23, 1909) which mention unspecified work for the Cream of Wheat Company.
Although the first owner of the painting, Emory Mapes, was the founder of the Cream of Wheat Company, there is no indication that the composition was used as an advertisement.
Although the first owner of the painting, Emory Mapes, was the founder of the Cream of Wheat Company, there is no indication that the composition was used as an advertisement.
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:Transparency from painting
Photo Credit:Courtesy Kramer Gallery, 12/1999