Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
The first walking of Thorgunna.
Great fear fell upon them: the marrow of their back grew cold.
Alternate Title(s):Scribner's Magazine, cover illustration
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1914
Dimensions:
44 × 32 in. (111.8 × 81.3 cm)
Somerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE
Accession number: SUPP2000.1264
Research Number: NCW: 1264
InscribedUpper right: inscription in paint, partially illegible: TO THE / SILVERADO COLONY / OCT 12 191 (6 or 8) / N. C. WYETH (underlined, in darker paint); on reverse on stretcher: 218007-1; round label adhered to stretcher: 05XXX
ProvenanceThe artist; (?); (Graham Gallery, NY, ca. 1965-1969); Private collection, New York state; (Sommerville Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE, 1999)
Exhibition HistoryGreenville, DE, Somerville Manning Gallery, "N. C. Wyeth, Illustrations and Landscape Paintings," Oct. 13--Nov. 11, 2006, cat. cover;
References
Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, 1972), p. 276; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), I.563, p. 305
Curatorial RemarksScribner's first approached Wyeth with this commission in a letter dated July 27, 1914 (Jospeh H. Chapin to NCW, WFA). At that time it was planned for the December issue, and Wyeth was told the illustrations had to be completed by the middle of September. In mid September, Wyeth wrote, "I feel that I have scored a little triumph at Scribner's with the Stevenson pictures. The story was a rush story--that is I was given little time to accomplish the work and thus they planned to reproduce it in black and white...yesterday they received the last two pictures and this morning a rousing letter came stating that they were going to work the engravers nights and reproduce (them) in color....It's undoubtedly the best work I've ever done and I'm glad they are recognizing it" (NCW to Henriette Zirngiebel Wyeth, dated in another hand Sept. 18, 1914, Wyeth Family Archives).
Later, Wyeth changed his mind: in a letter of Dec. 10, 1914, he wrote, "Babe mentioned the figures in the candle light as being his favorite. For once I htink he has been caught by a mediocre conception...Dunn, Schoonover, or Arthurs could have accomplished the figures in the doorway...." (NCW to HZW, Dec. 10, 1914, Wyeth Family Archives). The inscription to the Silverado Colony remains a mystery, but probably relates in some way to Stevenson's association with the Silverado Mine (CA), where he gathered material that was used for Treasure Island.
Later, Wyeth changed his mind: in a letter of Dec. 10, 1914, he wrote, "Babe mentioned the figures in the candle light as being his favorite. For once I htink he has been caught by a mediocre conception...Dunn, Schoonover, or Arthurs could have accomplished the figures in the doorway...." (NCW to HZW, Dec. 10, 1914, Wyeth Family Archives). The inscription to the Silverado Colony remains a mystery, but probably relates in some way to Stevenson's association with the Silverado Mine (CA), where he gathered material that was used for Treasure Island.
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:Photography directly from artwork
Photo Credit:Courtesy of Somerville Manning Gallery, 3/2005