August

1974 (c) George A. Weymouth. Used by permission.
Artist:

George A. Weymouth

(American, 1936 - 2016)

August

Medium: Tempera on panel
Date: 1974
Dimensions:
49 1/4 × 49 in. (125.1 × 124.5 cm)
Accession number: 89.28
Copyright: 1974 © George A. Weymouth. Used by permission.
Label Copy:
George Weymouth’s use of tempera was well suited to his method of rendering fine detail and texture in his paintings. His careful attention to his subject can been seen in August, which depicts an area of his farm in southeastern Pennsylvania. In preparation for the work, Weymouth made extensive pencil drawings and watercolor studies of native grasses and Queen Anne’s lace. The final painting, completed in the studio, captures the hazy atmosphere of a late summer day. His unusual perspective provides views of both the ground and the distant hills. The sensitive attention to the natural landscape visually conjures a sense of dry, rustling grasses and the warm scent of meadow flowers. This painting expresses Weymouth’s intense feelings for the land and his ongoing commitment to land preservation in the Brandywine Valley. Weymouth said of the land: "I live it. I love the feeling of the land – the atmosphere, the smell of it."
Curatorial RemarksGeorge Weymouth studied art at St. Mark's preparatory school and Yale University. His friendship with artists Andrew Wyeth and Peter Hurd led him to explore egg tempera, a medium combining egg yolk, dried pigment, and distilled water. In "August," the egg tempera technique enables Weymouth to capture the natural tones of a meadow in late summer. He makes extensive preliminary drawings for his works, which are usually highly detailed. This painting, like all of Weymouth's landscapes, reflects the artist's close connection to his native Brandywine Valley.

George Weymouth grew up near Wilmington, Delaware, and developed an early interest in art, which he pursued at St. Mark’s preparatory school and at Yale University. His friendship with Andrew Wyeth and Peter Hurd led him to explore egg tempera. This medium was well suited to his method of rendering fine detail and texture in his paintings.


Weymouth’s careful attention to his subject can been seen in August, which depicts an area of his farm in southeastern Pennsylvania. In preparation for the work, Weymouth made extensive pencil drawings and watercolor studies of native grasses and Queen Anne’s lace. The final painting, completed in the studio, captures the hazy atmosphere of a late summer day. His unusual perspective provides views of both the ground and the distant hills. The sensitive attention to the natural landscape visually conjures the sense of dry rustling grasses and the warm scent of meadow flowers. This painting expresses Weymouth’s intense feelings for the land and his ongoing commitment to land preservation in the Brandywine Valley. Weymouth said of the land: "I live it. I love the feeling of the land – the atmosphere, the smell of it."

On view