Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
untitled (Native Americans fishing)
Medium: Charcoal on paper
Date: 1903
Dimensions:
21 1/2 × 15 1/4 in. (54.6 × 38.7 cm)
Private collection
Accession number: 48143,1
Research Number: NCW: 2648
ProvenanceThe artist to 1945; gift of Mrs. N. C. Wyeth to a private collector, Wilmington; descended in family
Curatorial RemarksThis is likely the drawing about which Wyeth wrote, "My composition today was two boy Indians, naked, cautiously climbing up over a rock which looks over a deep black hole of water at the sharp turn of a winding brook. Everything is dark save two bright glimmers of evening sky which are shown through the dark mysterious woods which form the background. One of the Indians has a fish spear uplifted, ready to dart it into the transparent water upon any trout that happens to be lurking there; the other boy by a gesture made by the one with the spear is told to "keep back." I tried (and evidently did) to get the primeval wild feeling in both figures and landscape. All my best work that is vital work has been of that nature and I intend to stick to it." (NCW to Henriette Z. Wyeth, dated in Wyeth's hand "Sunday / 9:30 p.m." and in another hand June 22, 1903)