Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
untitled (hand holding bow with arrow)
Medium: Oil on hardboard (Renaissance Panel)
Date: 1945
Dimensions:
29 1/8 × 17 in. (74 × 43.2 cm)
Private collection
Accession number: SUPP2000.1274
Research Number: NCW: 1274
InscribedLower left: N C. WYETH; painted on reverse of panel in NCW's hand: ENGRAVER MUST NOT (underlined) USE / VASELINE OR OTHER / GREASY PREPARATION ON / THIS PANEL / N. C. WYETH (underlined); partial Renaissance Panel label (bottom quarter) adhered to reverse of panel at left edge; printed label completed in ink adhered to reverse of panel: ART DIRECTOR'S CLUB OF CHICAGO / ANNUAL EXHBITION OF ADVERTISING ART / No. 8 / Submitted by Art Director G. ESSEN OLSON / Company Submitting the Art MACMANUS, JOHN & ADAMS, INC. / Address FISHER BLDG. / City DETROIT 2 MICH / Artist N. C. WYETH / Adv. Agent MACMANUS, JOHN & ADAMS, INC. / Produced for Advertiser PONTIAC
ProvenancePrivate collecton, Tyler, TX, by 1977; Private collection, Austin, TX and descended in family to 2005; (Christie's, New York, NY, Dec. 1, 2005, lot no. 148); Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), C.186, p. 699
Exhibition HistoryChicago, IL, Art Institute of Chicago (Art Directors Club of Chicago), "14th Annual Exhibition of Advertising Art," May 1 - May 27, 1946), no. 8 (unpaginated)
References
Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, 1972), p. 295
Curatorial RemarksAs he planned this image, the artist was reminded that "the Indian is meant to suggest Chief Pontiac or one of his warriors and therefore the equipment and its decoration naturally must be Ottawa" (MacManus, John and Adams to NCW, April 20, 1945, Wyeth Family Archieves). The bottom quarter of the Renaissance Panel label along the left edge of the support indicates that Wyeth cut this panel from a larger one. The collection of Phyllis and Jamie Wyeth includes the composition drawing for this painting (NCW 2390).
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:Transparency directly from painting
Photo Credit:1. Courtesy of Lamar Brown; 2. Reverse of panel, Courtesy of Christie's, New York