Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
The Pike County Ballads, untitled headpiece
Alternate Title(s):Then Abner Fry he killed a man
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1912
Dimensions:
dimensions unavailable
known by reproduction only
Copyright, 1912, Houghton Mifflin Company
canvas reused (see NCW 120)
Accession number: SUPP2000.2318
Research Number: NCW: 2318
ProvenanceCanvas reused by N. C. Wyeth (see NCW 120)
References
Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1972), p. 206 as "Then Abner Fry he killed a man"; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), I.410, p. 251
Curatorial RemarksThe Brandywine River Museum holds an unmarked copy of "Poems by John Hay," which includes "The Pike County Ballads," published by Houghton Mifflin (1899) and found in the artist's studio (NCWS.95.723).
The Pike County Ballads had a disappointing sales record and the artist must have felt there was little sale value to the small black and white paintings in vignette style that were reproduced as head- and tailpiece illustrations. In this case Wyeth used the canvas to improve his still life technique, but pentimenti visible in the still life confirm the earlier image underneath.
The Pike County Ballads had a disappointing sales record and the artist must have felt there was little sale value to the small black and white paintings in vignette style that were reproduced as head- and tailpiece illustrations. In this case Wyeth used the canvas to improve his still life technique, but pentimenti visible in the still life confirm the earlier image underneath.
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:Digital scan from printed image, Brandywine River Museum Library