Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
Building the First White House
Alternate Title(s):Building the "President's House"
Date: ca. 1931
Dimensions:
dimensions unavailable
location unknown
Accession number: SUPP2000.1085
Research Number: NCW: 1085
InscribedLower right: N. C. WYETH (underlined, from reproduction)
ProvenancePennsylvania Railroad Company
References
"Paints Dozen Historic Posters," Philadelphia Inquirer, June 9, 1930, p.?; Advertising Arts, Nov. 1931, illustrated between pages 48 and 49; Pennyslvania Railroad press release, printed in The Mutual Magazine, April 1932 (Ivy Ledbetter Lee Papers, Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, Princeton University); Charles and Mary Beard, A Basic History of the United States (New York: Doubleday, Doran & Co., 1944), illustration in b/w between ps. 176-177, as "Building the President's House"; Lonnelle Aikman, "The Living White House," National Geographic Magazine, vol. 130, no 5 (Nov. 1966), illustration in color, p. 600; Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals (New York: Crown Publishers, 1972), illustration in color p. 151, see also p. 289; Tom Brokaw, et al., One Nation Patriots and Pirates Portrayed by N. C. Wyeth and James Wyeth (Boston: Little, Brown and Comapny, 2000), illustration in color, fig. 2 on p. 3 (reproduced from greeting card); Eils Lotozo, "Perplexing Case of the Vanishing Wyeth," Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine, 10/18/2000, p. D1; Christine B. Podmaniczky and Charles H. Wolfinger, "N. C. Wyeth's Pennsylvania Railroad Paintings," The Keystone, vol. 34, no. 1 (Spring 2001); Christine B. Podmaniczky, "The Case of the Missing White House," Hoover Digest, 2009 No. 1 (Winter), ps.207-213; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), C.76, p. 662-663; Marta McDowell, All The Presidents' Gardens. Portland, Ore.: Timber Press, p. 27, illus.
Curatorial RemarksThe date of the painting and its position as fourth in the series is confirmed by a reproduction in the journal Advertising Arts (Nov. 1931) and a press release issued by the Pennsylvania Railroad linking the painting with the bicentennial celebration of Washington's birth (copy of the press release is found among the papers of P. S. Du Pont, Hagley Museum and Library). The press release (and its reprint in the April 1932 issue of the company's Mutual Magazine) contained the artist's description of the event depicted: " It is known that [Washington] made occasional visits to the new building in the company of Architect Hoban to discuss details of the construction. And so I have chosen to picture one of these occasions. It is a day in the early summer of 1798, about the time that the slates for the roof were being laid. Mr. Washington stands beside Architect Hoban...at the left is a group of visitors, perhaps friends of Washington. On the right two of Mr.Hoban's assistants." Wyeth's source for the appearance of the building most certainly derived from a photographic reproduction found in his studio of Hoban's original drawing for the White House (Brandywine River Museum, NCWS.95. 916).
The Brandywine River Museum holds a copy of the railroad poster mounted on heavy cardboard that came from the artist's studio (see NCWS.95.6581), image size approx. 30 x 24 inches; also several Forbes calendar reproductions, image size 16 1/2 x 13 5/8 (# 4430.4, and NCWS.95.6605).
The Brandywine River Museum holds a copy of the railroad poster mounted on heavy cardboard that came from the artist's studio (see NCWS.95.6581), image size approx. 30 x 24 inches; also several Forbes calendar reproductions, image size 16 1/2 x 13 5/8 (# 4430.4, and NCWS.95.6605).
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:1. photography from printed image (Brandywine River Museum library, calendar 4430.4); 2. digital scan of photograph
Photo Credit:1. Rick Echelmeyer; 2. BRM staff