Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
Dark Rosaleen, dust-jacket illustration
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1933
Dimensions:
30 3/4 × 22 in. (78.1 × 55.9 cm)
Brandywine River Museum of Art, Gift of C. Victoria Kitchell, 2013
Accession number: 2013.1
Copyright: © Courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Label Copy:
There is no mention of this commission in Wyeth's personal letters, nor is it mentioned in the correspondence between Wyeth and Houghton Mifflin. The figures represent Lord Edward Fitzgerald and his French wife, Pamela, the heroes of Bowen's historical novel.
With this cover image, as with many of the cover images he painted, Wyeth reworked the canvas after publication, eliminating the obvious references—the title box and its decoration—to the publishing industry. He also repainted the background, making it suitable to give as a wedding present.
There is no mention of this commission in Wyeth's personal letters, nor is it mentioned in the correspondence between Wyeth and Houghton Mifflin. The figures represent Lord Edward Fitzgerald and his French wife, Pamela, the heroes of Bowen's historical novel.
With this cover image, as with many of the cover images he painted, Wyeth reworked the canvas after publication, eliminating the obvious references—the title box and its decoration—to the publishing industry. He also repainted the background, making it suitable to give as a wedding present.
Research Number: NCW: 1811
InscribedLower right: N. C. WYETH (underlined)
Provenancewedding gift from the Wyeth family to first owner, mid-1960s, to 2012
References
Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, 1972), p. 225; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), I.1187, p. 541
Curatorial RemarksNo mention of this commission in Wyeth's letters has been found; it is also not mentioned in the correspondence between Wyeth and Houghton Mifflin. The painting was reworked after publication, when Wyeth eliminated the title box and ribbons, repainting the background. The figures represent Lord Edward Fitzgerald and his French wife Pamela, the heroes of Bowen's historical novel.
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:Digital photography from printed source (Brandywine River Museum library, tear sheet)
Photo Credit:Rick Echelmeyer, 9/7/2006