Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
Wash Day on the Maine Coast
Alternate Title(s):Harbor, Monday Morning; Monday Morning on the Maine Coast; Washday, Port Clyde
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: ca. 1934
Dimensions:
48 1/8 × 52 in. (122.2 × 132.1 cm)
Private collection
Accession number: SUPP2000.985
Research Number: NCW: 985
InscribedLower right: N. C. WYETH (underlined); on reverse, printed on the canvas in black: F. W. CO. 110 / WEBER CANVAS; stapled to stretcher, a cardboard label in NCW's hand: WASH DAY (underlined) on the / MAINE COAST (underlined) / by N. C. WYETH
ProvenancePrivate collection; descended in family
Exhibition HistoryWilmington, DE, 1934, no. 38, as "Harbor, Monday Morning"; Chadds Ford, PA, 2003
References
"Paintings of Pyle Pupils Listed for Exhibition," Wilmington Morning News, Nov. 5, 1934, p. 18; "State Artists Show Work in 21st Exhibition," (Wilmington, DE) Journal Every Evening, Nov. 5, 1934, p. 9; "Art Lovers See New Display of Canvases, " (Wilmington, DE) Journal Every Evening, Nov. 6, 1934, p. 10; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, Catalogue Raisonne of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), L.182, p. 760
Curatorial RemarksWyeth may have hoped to sell this image because in August 1935 he directed John McCoy to frame, crate, and ship the painting to American Artists Company, his agent in New York for advertising work (NCW to John McCoy, Aug. 9, 1935, Wyeth Family Archives). No commercial reproduction has come to light. An archival photograph (Brandywine River Museum) shows the painting's original framing.
The painting presents a good example of the difficulties in establishing titles for N. C. Wyeth's work. The authority for the title of the painting rests with a card in the artist's hand stapled to the stretcher, "Wash Day on the Maine Coast." An archival photograph is titled in the artist's hand "Monday Morning on the Maine Coast," and in a letter he referred to it as "Washday, Port Clyde (underlined)" (NCW to John McCoy, Aug. 9, 1935, Wyeth Family Archives). Finally, the painting was exhibited in 1934 with the title "Harbor, Monday Morning."
The painting presents a good example of the difficulties in establishing titles for N. C. Wyeth's work. The authority for the title of the painting rests with a card in the artist's hand stapled to the stretcher, "Wash Day on the Maine Coast." An archival photograph is titled in the artist's hand "Monday Morning on the Maine Coast," and in a letter he referred to it as "Washday, Port Clyde (underlined)" (NCW to John McCoy, Aug. 9, 1935, Wyeth Family Archives). Finally, the painting was exhibited in 1934 with the title "Harbor, Monday Morning."
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:1. Transparency directly from painting 2. archival photograph showing original framing
Photo Credit:1. Jim Schneck, 2002; 2. Sanborn Studio, Wilmington, DE