Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
The Wedding Procession
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1941
Dimensions:
108 × 306 1/4 in. (274.3 × 777.9 cm)
Collection of MetLife, New York
Accession number: SUPP2000.451
Research Number: NCW: 451
ProvenanceCommissioned from NCW by Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
Exhibition HistoryNew York, NY, 1985, no. 1
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of Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.), vol. 23, no. 7 (Dec. 1941), ps. 8-9; N. C. Wyeth, Income Tax Notes for 1941 (unpublished, Brandywine River Museum Library); Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, 1972), ps. 169-172, b/w illustration p. 170; Rober San Souci, N. C. Wyeth's Pilgrims (San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 1991), color illustration (unpaginated); Kate F. Jennings, N. C. Wyeth (New York: Brompton Books Corp., Crescent Books, 1992), color illustration ps. 78-79; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), M.72, p. 631
Curatorial RemarksThe Brandywine River Museum holds 8 lantern slides of the composition rendered in outline and ruled for transfer (NCWS.95.1825.284-.291 and .431-.439); these slides probably depict a tracing made by John McCoy (NCW to Andrew Wyeth, "Dear Andy, "I've a few minutes left of daylight..." and dated in another hand Sept. 30, 1940, Wyeth Family Archives) for a description of the process of transfer). The Museum's library collection includes 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.
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:1. Photography directly from painting; 2. View of the murals in situ, in an undated photograph (Brandywine River Museum library, James P. Simpson collection)
Photo Credit:1. Photo by: Malcolm Varon, NYC, copyright © 2007