The Hunter

Pressured by his mother to reduce the action in his pictures, the artist conceived this contemplative image in August, 1906, as a cover illustration for McClure's Magazine. (Pentimenti from a title box with the wording "McClures / Magazine" are visible in the space above the figure.) Howard Pyle, who was then art editor of McClure's, thought it "the strongest and most poetic thing" Wyeth had done (NCW to Henriette Zirngiebel Wyeth, August 3, 1906, Wyeth Family Archives). When McClure's suffered financial problems that autumn and the publisher was unable or unwilling to buy the painting, Wyeth sold reproduction rights to Outing. Outing published the painting as part of a five-picture series called "The Indian in His Solitude."

Wyeth gave The Hunter to Thomas H. Blodgett (1878-1964), who from 1902-1908 was western representative in Chicago of Outing Magazine. In 1909 Blodgett came to New York as president of the Outing Publishing Company (Obituary, New York Times, Oct. 5, 1964).

This design was reproduced on Noritake China (plates and vases) manufactured between 1911 and 1918. Lamp globes, also painted in Japan, were made into hurricane lamps by the Pittsburgh Lamp, Brass and Glass Company, circa 1908-1910.