Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
Ringing Out Liberty
Alternate Title(s):Ring Out for Liberty
Date: 1929
Dimensions:
dimensions unavailable
location unknown
Accession number: SUPP2000.564
Research Number: NCW: 564
InscribedLower left: N. C. WYETH (from reproduction)
ProvenancePennsylvania Railroad
References
"Wyeth Working on 12 Posters," The Evening Journal (Wilmington, DE), May 1, 1930, pl 23; Pennsylvania Railroad press releases, May 1, 1930 and May 22, 1930, Ivy Ledbetter Lee Papers, Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton University; "The Pennsylvania News," (published by the Pennsylvania Railroad), vol. 8, no. 6 (May 1, 1930), illus. p.1; "The Mutual Magazine,"(magazine for Pennsylvania Railroad employees), June 1930, illus. p. 23; "Paints Dozen Historic Posters," Philadelphia Inquirer, June 9, 1930, p.?; Leonard Richman, ed., The Technique of the Poster (London: Pitman & Sons, 1933); Charles A. Beard and Mary R. Beard, A Basic History of the United States (New York: Doubleday Doran & Co.), 1944, illus. b/w, as "Ring Out for Liberty"; American History Illustrated, vol. IV, no. 4 (July 1969), cover illus. in b/w; Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, 1972), color illustration p. 150, ps. 148, 229, 236, 251, 288; Christine B. Podmaniczky and Charles H. Wolfinger, "N. C. Wyeth's Pennsylvania Railroad Paintings," vol. 34, no. 1 (Spring 2001), ps. 55-56; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), C.71, p. 661
Curatorial RemarksIn 1929, Ivy Lee, an independent publicist and former railroad executive working for the Pennsylvania Railroad, commissioned N. C. Wyeth to paint 12 images of patriotic themes, to be published in poster form beginning in early 1930 and distributed over the railroad and to schools, libraries, and chambers of commerce (Correspondence of W. W. Atterbury, File 42/25, Vol. 4, subfile 20, Pennsylvania Railroad, MG-286, Penn Central Collection, PA State Archives, Harrisburg). This image is probably the first to have been completed; only three more followed. There is no mention of the commission in the artist's correspondence.
One of the artist's resources for this image is likely a small three-fold brochure found in his studio, issued by the Kentucky Society of the Sons of the American Revolution on the occasion of bell's cross country trip to the Panama Pacific Exposition in 1915. The brochure gives a history of the bell and includes a fairly detailed photo-reproduction of it.
The Brandywine River Museum holds two copies of the Pennsylvania Railroad poster (image size 30 1/2 x 24 in.), one in the library, #4349, and a mounted example (NCWS.95.6583) that was found in the artist's studio. The BRM collection also includes a Forbes calendar reproduction, image size 16 1/2 x 13 5/8 in., (Brandywine River Museum library, #4430.1).;The short article "Wyeth Working on 12 Posters" (see above) confirms that this was the 1st in a projected series of 12 posters to be published. The article continues, "To ensure the historical accuracy of every detail, great care and painstaking study have been devoted by Mr. Wyeth."
One of the artist's resources for this image is likely a small three-fold brochure found in his studio, issued by the Kentucky Society of the Sons of the American Revolution on the occasion of bell's cross country trip to the Panama Pacific Exposition in 1915. The brochure gives a history of the bell and includes a fairly detailed photo-reproduction of it.
The Brandywine River Museum holds two copies of the Pennsylvania Railroad poster (image size 30 1/2 x 24 in.), one in the library, #4349, and a mounted example (NCWS.95.6583) that was found in the artist's studio. The BRM collection also includes a Forbes calendar reproduction, image size 16 1/2 x 13 5/8 in., (Brandywine River Museum library, #4430.1).;The short article "Wyeth Working on 12 Posters" (see above) confirms that this was the 1st in a projected series of 12 posters to be published. The article continues, "To ensure the historical accuracy of every detail, great care and painstaking study have been devoted by Mr. Wyeth."
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:image from print source (Brandywine River Museum library, #4430.1)
Photo Credit:Rick Echelmeyer