Big Black Beppo and Little Black Beppo

Artist:

N.C. Wyeth

(American, 1882 - 1945)

Big Black Beppo and Little Black Beppo

Alternate Title(s):Italian Cod Fisher Out of San Francisco
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1924
Dimensions:
41 3/4 × 34 in. (106 × 86.4 cm)
Private collection, CA
Accession number: SUPP2000.2288
Research Number: NCW: 2288
InscribedLower right: N. C. WYETH (underlined); painting has been lined, and on reverse of lining in unidentified hand: TO RUTH AND HERBERT MILLER / FROM N.C.W. (underlined) / 1928 / ITALIAN COD FISHER / OUT OF SAN FRANCISCO / PAINTED ABOUT / 1922
ProvenanceThe artist; gift to Ruth Bockius and Hebert Dwight Miller, 1928; Peggy Miller Burr, to 1977/1978; (Steven Straw, Newburyport, MA, ca, 1977/1978); (Hunter Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 1978)
References Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, 1972), p. 279, b/w illustration p.137; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), I.990, p. 475
Curatorial RemarksThe painting has been lined, and the inscriptions presently on the reverse of the painting must be the transcriptions of the restorer.
The Brandywine River Museum holds at least three tear sheets of this image, each one slightly different in coloration and showing degradation of the printing plates; together they demonstrate the difficulties Wyeth had with the printing processes.
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:1. image from printed source (Brandywine River Museum, tear sheet); 2. reverse of canvas, showing inscription (not in NCW's hand) on canvas lining
Photo Credit:2. courtesy of the owner, 12/2007