Artist:
N.C. Wyeth
(American, 1882 - 1945)
Get into the Fight
Alternate Title(s):Over the Top; The Army; The Army and Navy
Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1918
Dimensions:
approximately 15 × 30 ft. (4.57 × 9.14 m)
disposition unknown
Accession number: SUPP2000.2407
Research Number: NCW: 2407
InscribedLower right: N. C. W. (from reproduction)
Provenancedisposition unknown
References
"New York on Tiptoe for Loan Campaign," New York Times, April 6, 1918, p. 4; "Get Into the Fight, Buy Liberty Bonds," Architecture, vol. XXXVII, no. 4 (April 1918), p. 104; Jean Broadhurst and Clara Lawton Rhodes, Verse for Patriots to Encourage Good Citizenship (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1919), frontispiece illus., as "The Army and Navy"; "Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information," Washington: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1920, p. 42; Betsy James Wyeth, ed., The Wyeths, The Letters of N. C. Wyeth, 1901-1945 (Boston: Gambit, 1971, ps. 579, 581, 585; David Michaelis, N. C. Wyeth, A Biography (New York: Knopf, 1998), ps. 251-252; Christine B. Podmaniczky, N. C. Wyeth, A Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings (London: Scala, 2008), M.4; Jessica May, "Shifting Horizons" in Jessica May and Christine B. Podmaniczky, "N. C. Wyeth: New Perspectives" (Brandywine River Museum of Art and Portland Museum of Art, 2019), p. 43, fig. 3
Curatorial RemarksIn Feb. 1918, the artist wrote to his mother, "...I am supposed to paint a large picture of a land battle featuring the American troops in action--"Over the Top" is my chosen motive. This is to be placed in the gable of the Sub-Treasury building on Wall Street facing Broad, N. Y. The opportunity is really exciting. Reuterdahl (Henry) will do the Sea Battle....The time to do this mammoth canvas (which it is determined we should do instead of making just a small sketch for others to work from) is the one serious factor. But it's just got to be done, that's all" (NCW to Henriette Zirngiebel Wyeth, Feb. 28, 1918, Wyeth Family Archives). Wyeth told his mother that the actual work of painting the huge images would be filmed, to show later in movie theaters as an additional fundraiser. Much publicity surrounded the event, which was staged to encourage the purchase of war bonds.
The painting was unveiled on April 6, 1918, before a huge crowd that had gathered in front of the Sub-Treasury building on Wall Street. The New York Times reported that the entire painting covered a space approximately 28 feet high by 90 feet wide. A clipping from an unidentified newspaper dated April 12, 1918, found in Wyeth's studio (Brandywine River Museum of Art Research Center) suggests there was an early and probably discarded plan to move the painting to Philadelphia at the close of the New York drive.
A short note in the Wilmignton Evening Journal of April 10, 1918, indicates that there was a smaller presentation painting done prior to the mural.
The painting was unveiled on April 6, 1918, before a huge crowd that had gathered in front of the Sub-Treasury building on Wall Street. The New York Times reported that the entire painting covered a space approximately 28 feet high by 90 feet wide. A clipping from an unidentified newspaper dated April 12, 1918, found in Wyeth's studio (Brandywine River Museum of Art Research Center) suggests there was an early and probably discarded plan to move the painting to Philadelphia at the close of the New York drive.
A short note in the Wilmignton Evening Journal of April 10, 1918, indicates that there was a smaller presentation painting done prior to the mural.
Image Source for printed Catalogue Raisonne:1. image from Architecture, vol. XXXVII, no. 4 (April 1918), p. 104 (Brandyine River Museum library, NCWS.95.1052.1); 2. The mural in situ, from an unidentified newspaper advertisement, ca. 1943. Photo credit, Brown Brothers (Brandywine River Museum library); 3. The mural being painted (Photo credit: Google Images)