Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
Crows in Winter
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1941
Dimensions:
91 9/16 × 145 7/8 in. (232.6 × 370.5 cm)
Collection of MetLife, New York
Accession number: SUPP2000.438
Research Number: NCW: 438
ProvenanceCommissioned from NCW by Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
Exhibition HistoryNew York, NY, 1985, no. 10
References
"The Days of the Pilgrims Live Again in Our Murals," The Home Office (publication of Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.), vol. 23. no. 7, (Dec. 1941), ps. 8-9; N. C. Wyeth, Income Tax Notes for 1941 (unpublished, Brandywine River Museum Library); Robert San Souci, N. C. Wyeth's Pilgrims (San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 1991), illus. in color (unpaginated); Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), M.68, p. 629
Curatorial RemarksThis mural decorated an escalator landing. "The constantly moving throng by these spaces, the lifting approach on the escalator demanded something quite simple and yet with pleasing and complimentary motion. The notion embracing the spirit of flight struck me. I saw it in terms of birds, well known and romantic American birds. The sketches are still in a somewhat realistic state but my plan is to translate them in the final painting into flatter designs like patterns on a screen yet with a definite sense of naturalism" (undated draft of a letter, NCW to Arthur O. Angilly, Brandywine River Museum library).
On July 5th, 1941, the artist wrote to Andrew Wyeth, "I've just finished the panel of the flight of crows over a winter landscape (one of the series of four you know). The folks have all been up to look it over - Ma, Nat, Caroline, John, Ann and Heriette, and all seem especially enthusiastic. It is, I believe, quite striking. Ed Seal will photograph it soon, and I'll send one to you, also of the herons." The Brandywine River Museum holds a related composition drawing that has been ruled for transfer (NCW 2042, 96.1.551), eight lantern slides (96.1.1825.342-.349) used in the transfer process, and extensive correspondence between the artist and the architect Arthur O. Angilly which touches on all phases of the commission.
In the mid-1980s, the MetLife murals were removed from the walls of their original location at One Madison Avenue, New York, and placed on strainers. MetLife now occupies new corporate headquarters on Bryant Park, but this mural remains in the Madison Avenue building.
On July 5th, 1941, the artist wrote to Andrew Wyeth, "I've just finished the panel of the flight of crows over a winter landscape (one of the series of four you know). The folks have all been up to look it over - Ma, Nat, Caroline, John, Ann and Heriette, and all seem especially enthusiastic. It is, I believe, quite striking. Ed Seal will photograph it soon, and I'll send one to you, also of the herons." The Brandywine River Museum holds a related composition drawing that has been ruled for transfer (NCW 2042, 96.1.551), eight lantern slides (96.1.1825.342-.349) used in the transfer process, and extensive correspondence between the artist and the architect Arthur O. Angilly which touches on all phases of the commission.
In the mid-1980s, the MetLife murals were removed from the walls of their original location at One Madison Avenue, New York, and placed on strainers. MetLife now occupies new corporate headquarters on Bryant Park, but this mural remains in the Madison Avenue building.
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:Transparency directly from painting
Photo Credit:Photo by: Malcolm Varon, NYC, copyright © 2007