The Home Seekers

There is no specific reference to The Home Seekers in the artist's correspondence; however, in a letter to his mother he wrote: "First, in the morning, Mr. Mapes of the Cream of Wheat Co. paid me a flying visit....we had quite a chat, the result of which I shall paint one more ad for him. By the way, the idea I presented for his approval was thought up while we were talking. I believe the Cream of Wheat atmosphere was conducive" (NCW to Henriette Zirngielbel Wyeth, Oct. 14, 1907, Wyeth Family Archives). There are two more letters (August 7, 1908 and April 23, 1909) which mention unspecified work for the Cream of Wheat Company.

Although the first owner of the painting, Emory Mapes, was the founder of the Cream of Wheat Company, there is no evidence that this study was ever worked into a finished painting.