Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
untitled (three haystacks)
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: ca. 1908
Dimensions:
19 × 26 in. (48.3 × 66 cm)
Collection of Marylouise Cowan
Accession number: SUPP2000.410
Research Number: NCW: 410
InscribedLower right: N. C. WYETH (underlined)
ProvenanceThe artist; (possibly a gift to Mr. and Mrs. A. N. Wyeth in 1908, and reclaimed by artist at later date); Mrs. N. C. Wyeth; Carolyn Wyeth to 1990
References
Betsy James Wyeth, ed., The Wyeths, The Letters of N. C. Wyeth, 1901-1945 (Boston: Gambit, 1971), ps. 278-279; David Michaelis, N. C. Wyeth, A Biography (New York: Knopf, 1999), p. 183; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, Catalogue Raisonne of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), L.21, p. 708
Curatorial RemarksThis painting may be documented in a letter Wyeth wrote "How I did enjoy a little study I did of a group of haystacks! I loved (underlined) them before I got through and I have an affection for the picture too! It is not a remarkable picture in any (underlined) way, but it is truthful (underlined), it is not "faked," there are no horses running, kicking and snorting...it's just three or four haystacks..and above them arching over them, so conveniently two or three rum-cherry trees! and along the foot of these stolid stacks runs an old cart-path speckled with sun light" (NCW to Nathaniel Wyeth, "This has been one of those," and dated in antoher hand Oct. 19, 1908, WFA). The painting is related to and dated by a pencil drawing of 1908, illustrated in Betsy James Wyeth, ed., The Wyeths, The Letters of N. C. Wyeth, p. 278 (also David Michaelis, N. C. Wyeth, A Biography, p. 183 and 538 as "Haystacks Under Rum-Cherry Tree.")
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:Transparency directly from painting
Photo Credit:Courtesy of Marylouise Cowan