Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
Title unknown (view of a cathedral town damaged by war)
Alternate Title(s):View of a Destroyed Town World War I;
Medium: Charcoal on paper
Date: ca. 1917-1919
Dimensions:
33 1/4 × 28 1/2 in. (84.5 × 72.4 cm)
Private collection, MA
Accession number: SUPP2000.2641
Research Number: NCW: 2641
Inscribedlower right: N. C. WYETH (underlined)
Provenance(?); private collection, Nashville, TN; [?] ; private collection, Cincinnati, OH, to 2016; [New York, NY, Swann Auction Galleries, June 9, 2016, lot no. 12, as "View of a Destroyed Town, World War I");
Curatorial RemarksWyeth did "war work," both commissioned and on speculation, during both world wars. The soldiers in the lower right of this drawing are not detailed enough to identify weapons or uniforms that might help with the dating of the piece. The drawing's circa date is based on a similar motive occurring in at least three paintings Wyeth did during WWI (NCW 1245, NCW 1398 and NCW 945). There are no letters written during either war that seem to apply to this image; no oil painting after the image is known.
One tantalizing note occurs in a letter Wyeth wrote to Scribner's art editor Joseph Chapin dated September 26, 1918. After a paragraph describing to Chapin why he could not travel to France to see first hand the devastation, Wyeth wrote, "in the confusion of feeling, I forgot to answer your query about (sic) charcoal drawing and will say now that I will bring it up to NY Monday or Tuesday morning." There is no firm indication that the reference pertains to this drawing, but subsequent research may reveal a connection.
One tantalizing note occurs in a letter Wyeth wrote to Scribner's art editor Joseph Chapin dated September 26, 1918. After a paragraph describing to Chapin why he could not travel to France to see first hand the devastation, Wyeth wrote, "in the confusion of feeling, I forgot to answer your query about (sic) charcoal drawing and will say now that I will bring it up to NY Monday or Tuesday morning." There is no firm indication that the reference pertains to this drawing, but subsequent research may reveal a connection.
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:digital photography directly from artwork
Photo Credit:owner, 2011