A few minutes before we had almost died in a raging blizzard -- and here was a green valley bathed in sunlight and warmth.

Artist:

N.C. Wyeth

(American, 1882 - 1945)

A few minutes before we had almost died in a raging blizzard -- and here was a green valley bathed in sunlight and warmth.

Medium: Oil on gessoed panel
Date: ca. 1943 / 1944
Dimensions:
19 1/4 × 37 in. (48.9 × 94 cm)
Private collection
Accession number: SUPP2000.1469
Research Number: NCW: 1469
InscribedLower right: N. C. WYETH (underlined)
ProvenanceCarl B. Owens, ca. 1950 and descended in family; (Christie's, New York, NY, Nov. 19, 2014, lot no. 47);
References Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), I.1316, p. 590, 591
Curatorial RemarksUnlike most of Wyeth's work at this time which was done on gessoed panels purchased from the F. Weber Company, this painting was done on a non-commercial support.
"We have just finished putting another issue "to bed" which is why I neglected to follow through on my original intention of letting you now how much we like the illustration for, "Shangri-La". It was met with "bravos" all the way down the line, and I'd like to pass on a special compliment from Robert Foster, our magazine designer, who remarked that it was one of the finest Wyeths he had ever seen (Harvey A. Van Valkenburg of Fawcett Publications, Inc. to NCW, Dec. 21, 1944, Wyeth Family Archives).
True Magazine was published by Fawcett Publications, Inc. On page 12 of the April issue was an editorial notice of a comment made by N. C. Wyeth on the juxtaposition of a pin-up girl and a reproduction of a Winslow Homer painting.
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:Transparency directly from painting
Photo Credit:Joe Rudinec & Associates, 9/2004