Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
"--and making it into a great cross, I set it up on the shore where I first landed--"
Alternate Title(s):Carving the Marker; Crusoe Records his landing; Robinson Crusoe records date of Landing
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1920
Dimensions:
40 3/4 × 30 1/4 in. (103.5 × 76.8 cm)
From the collection of The Wilmington Institute Library, Wilmington, Delaware
Accession number: SUPP2000.113
Research Number: NCW: 113
InscribedLower left: N. C. WYETH (underlined)
ProvenanceThe artist to 1923; The Wilmington Institute Library, Wilmington, Delaware, 1923-2009; (Christie's, New York, NY, Dec. 2, 2009, lot no. 129; did not sell at auction);
Exhibition HistoryWilmington, DE, 1921, no. 80, as "Robinson Crusoe records date of Landing"; Philadelphia, PA, 1921, as "Crusoe Records his landing"; poss. Boston, MA, Boston Public Library, April, 1923 (see letter NCW to Arthur Bailey, 3/1/23, but cannot be confirmed by BPL); Harrisburg, PA, 1965, no. 96, as "Carving the Marker"; Rockland, ME, 1966, no. 54, illus. b/w (cat. unpaginated); Chadds Ford, PA, 1972, no. 111; Chadds Ford, PA, 1976(1); Wilmington, DE, 1981; Chadds Ford, PA, 1985; Chadds Ford, PA, Brandywine River Museum of Art, June 22-Sept. 15, 2019, "N. C. Wyeth: New Perspectives," illus. p. 160
References
Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, 1972), p. 203; Kate F. Jennings, N. C. Wyeth (New York: Brompton Books Corp., Crescent Books, 1992), illustrated in color p. 58; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), I.814, p. 404, 405
Curatorial RemarksThe Wilmington Institute Library holds letters to and from the artist regarding the purchase of the Robinson Crusoe paintings. In October, 1921, the Library trustees offered the artist $2,000 for 12 paintings, which were paid for when the paintings were installed in the Children's Room of the new building at 10th and Market Streets in early May 1923 (see letters between NCW and Arthur L. Bailey, Oct. 26, 1921 through May 9, 1923, collection of Wilmington Institute Library).
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:Transparency directly from painting
Photo Credit:Rick Echelmeyer, 12/1999