Woodshed

One windy March day in Chadds Ford, Wyeth was struck by the sight of two dead crows hanging by their feet, nailed to a shed at the Kuerner farm. Attracted by the darkness and bold shapes of the birds and their shadows against the stark whiteness and verticality of the wall behind them, Wyeth made studies in pencil, ink and watercolor leading to this tempera. The abstract power of the painting is matched by the chilling absence of sentimentality in this portrayal of death.

Throughout his career Wyeth was fascinated by birds—especially birds of prey—depicting them both in flight and in death. He was always drawn to the dark and unsettling aspects of life, once remarking that "nature in not lyrical and nice; behind the peace is violence."