Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
In the Tower of London
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1921
Dimensions:
40 × 32 1/4 in. (101.6 × 81.9 cm)
Private collection
Accession number: SUPP2000.389
Research Number: NCW: 389
InscribedUpper right: W (encircled)
ProvenanceThe artist (returned to him from Scribner's, 1/22/1923); Mrs. N. C. Wyeth; Carolyn Wyeth to 1986; (Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE, 1986)
Exhibition HistoryPhiladelphia, PA, 1925; Wilmington, DE, 1946, no. 39; Washington, DC, 1946, no. 25; Rockland, ME, 1966, no. 59; Greenville, SC, 1974, no. 49; Princeton, NJ, 1977, no. 32; Japan (3 venues), American Illustrators Gallery (organizer), "The Great American Illustrators," 1993, illus. in color p. 40, no. 19 p. 125; Greenville, DE, 1995
References
Richard Layton, "Inventory of Paintings in the Wyeth Studio, 1950," unpublished, Wyeth Family Archives, p. 17; Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, 1972), p. 215; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), I.872, p. 427
Curatorial RemarksIn preparation for this commission, Wyeth read an undated edition of The Scottish Chiefs published by Thomas D. Crowell Company, New York, illustrated with photographs of Scottish scenery (Brandywine River Museum NCWS.95.184). He also had in his studio library the 8 volume "Scottish Highlands, Highland Clans and Highland Regiments" pulished by Fullerton & Co. of Edinburgh (BRMA, NCWS.95.232.1-.8).
In a letter of August, 1921, the artist noted that he "got to work about 8:30 and by this noon had layed in the "Tower" picture in color. A fairly complete lay-in which should be nearly done tomorrow night" (NCW to Carolyn Bockius Wyeth, Aug. 3, 1921, Wyeth Family Archives). In 2001, Ann Wyeth McCoy recalled that this painting hung over the sewing machine in an upstairs bedroom in the Wyeth house (notes from conversation with AWMcC, 10/04/2001, Brandywine River Museum curatorial files).
Wyeth was extremely concerned about the quality of the reproductions for this commission--he had generously used blue and green pigments throughout, difficult for printers to duplicate. For this commission, the plates were engraved by the Suffolk Engraving and Electrotyping Company (see Scribner's cards, Brandywine River Museum of Art) and printed by Bowker (NCW to Joseph Hawley Chapin, dated "Tuesday morning, 6:15" probably June, 1921, Archives of Charles Scribner's, Manuscripts Division, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library).
In a letter of August, 1921, the artist noted that he "got to work about 8:30 and by this noon had layed in the "Tower" picture in color. A fairly complete lay-in which should be nearly done tomorrow night" (NCW to Carolyn Bockius Wyeth, Aug. 3, 1921, Wyeth Family Archives). In 2001, Ann Wyeth McCoy recalled that this painting hung over the sewing machine in an upstairs bedroom in the Wyeth house (notes from conversation with AWMcC, 10/04/2001, Brandywine River Museum curatorial files).
Wyeth was extremely concerned about the quality of the reproductions for this commission--he had generously used blue and green pigments throughout, difficult for printers to duplicate. For this commission, the plates were engraved by the Suffolk Engraving and Electrotyping Company (see Scribner's cards, Brandywine River Museum of Art) and printed by Bowker (NCW to Joseph Hawley Chapin, dated "Tuesday morning, 6:15" probably June, 1921, Archives of Charles Scribner's, Manuscripts Division, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library).
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:Transparency directly from artwork
Photo Credit:Courtesy the Archive of the American Illustrators Gallery, NYC