Kindly but sternly Eli watched the little Samuel. Had he been too indulgent with his own boys? He must not make the same mistake with this young life. Earnestly he taught and admonished and corrected, and "the child Samuel grew on, and was in favor both with the Lord, and also with men"

Artist:

N.C. Wyeth

(American, 1882 - 1945)

Kindly but sternly Eli watched the little Samuel. Had he been too indulgent with his own boys? He must not make the same mistake with this young life. Earnestly he taught and admonished and corrected, and "the child Samuel grew on, and was in favor both with the Lord, and also with men"

Alternate Title(s):Eli and the Boy Samuel; Eli and Samuel; The Boy Who Anointed Two Kings; The Child Samuel
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1928
Dimensions:
43 1/8 × 32 in. (109.5 × 81.3 cm)
Private collection
Accession number: SUPP2000.1665
Research Number: NCW: 1665
InscribedLower left: N. C. WYETH (underlined); on upper stretcher: 4 colors / 120 screen / 4547 / 12/10/28; label adhered to bottom frame member: label adhered to top of frame: PINCHPENNY GALLERY / MADRID W. I. / 32 X 43 1/8 A 3/16 / DECAPE
Provenance?; (Pinchpenny Art Gallery in 1930s or 1940s); private collection and descended in family to 2012; [with Turner Reuter Inc., Middleberg, VA and Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE]
Exhibition HistoryWilmington, DE, 1930(1), no.35, as "Eli and Samuel"; Greenville, DE, Somerville Manning Gallery, "N. C. Wyeth: Painter and Illustrator," June 14-Sept. 14, 2019;
References Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1972), p. 258; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), I.1075, p. 507
Curatorial RemarksThe image was reproduced on The Sacred Art Calendar for 1931, published by the Messenger Publishing Company of Chicago (Brandywine River Museum library, #11522). It was also one of several of the "Children of the Bible" series that was used as Sunday School material; reproductions measuring 17 x 12 1/4 inches were published by the Pilgrim Press and printed by the Providence Lithograph Company, circa 1948-1950.
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:directly from painting
Photo Credit:Courtesy of Joyce Stoner, 10/2012