Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
Johnny's Fight with Cherry
"Quit now," he managed to whisper, "if you want to"
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1928
Dimensions:
40 × 32 in. (101.6 × 81.3 cm)
Delaware Art Museum, Gift of Willis du Pont, 1960
Accession number: SUPP2000.987
Research Number: NCW: 987
InscribedLower right: N. C. W. (probably)
ProvenanceThe artist; Mrs. N. C. Wyeth to at least 1950; Mrs. Hallock du Pont; Willis R. du Pont, to 1960
Exhibition HistoryWilmington, DE, 1946, no. 65; Wilmington, DE, 1971, illustration in b/w plate XXIII, p. 23; Greenville, SC, 1974, no. 69; (probably) Birmingham, AL, Birmingham Museum of Art, "Brandywine Heritage," Feb. 7 - March 10, 1976; Stratford, Ontario, The Gallery/Stratford, "A History of Children's Book Illustrations," June 5 - July 23, 1978; Wilmington, DE, Delaware Art Museum, "Artists in Wilmington: 1890-1940," Feb. 3 - April 20, 1980, p. 71 (no numbers); Washington, DC, The Trust for Museum Exhibitions (sponsor), "The Best of American Illustration. Selections from the Delaware Art Museum," (traveling exhibition circulating 1985 - 1989); Fort Lauderdale, FL, Museum of Art, "Masterpieces of American Illustration from the Delaware Art Museum," Jan. 26 - March 25, 1990
References
Richard Layton, "Inventory of Paintings in the Wyeth Studio, 1950," unpublished, Wyeth Family Archives, p. 11; Betsy James Wyeth, ed., The Wyeths, The Letters of N. C. Wyeth, 1901-1945 (Boston: Gambit, 1971), p. 740; Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, 1972), p. 198; Rowland Elzea and Elizabeth H. Hawkes, Gen. Eds., A Small School of Art: The Students of Howard Pyle (Wilmington, DE: Delaware Art Museum, 1980), color illustration, p. 219; Rowland Elzea and Iris Snyder, American Illustration: The Collection of the Delaware Art Museum (Wilmington, DE: Delaware Art Museum, 1991), color illustration, p. 90; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), I.1061, p. 500-501
Curatorial RemarksIn January, 1928, the artist wrote: to his father that he had just completed this painting, which "gave me a good chance to show an interesting view of Edenton as well as a lively scrap. The quiet town bathed in afternoon sun back of the flashing nude bodies of the swimmers make quite a striking contrast." (NCW to Andrew Newell Wyeth, Jan. 27, 1928, Wyeth Family Archives). During a December 1927 trip to Edenton, Wyeth had paid particular attention to the remains of the old colonial waterfront, as described in a letter he wrote from Edenton to James Boyd (reproduced in facsimile in limited edition of Drums).The Wyeth Family Archives includes photographs of the dock area taken by the artist.
Linda Jordan Eure, Site Manager for Historic Edenton State Historic Site, has identified the building in the center background as the 1776 Chowan County Courthouse, and the building on the far left with the double chimneys and cupola as the 1758 Cupola House. Both buildings still stand in Edenton and are National Historic Landmarks.
The Brandywine River Museum holds Scribner's unillustrated 1925 edition of Drums which the artist read in preparation for this commission and marked with notes throughout and on the endsheets (NCWS.95.239).
Linda Jordan Eure, Site Manager for Historic Edenton State Historic Site, has identified the building in the center background as the 1776 Chowan County Courthouse, and the building on the far left with the double chimneys and cupola as the 1758 Cupola House. Both buildings still stand in Edenton and are National Historic Landmarks.
The Brandywine River Museum holds Scribner's unillustrated 1925 edition of Drums which the artist read in preparation for this commission and marked with notes throughout and on the endsheets (NCWS.95.239).
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:Digital photography directly from painting