The wide spectrum of N.C. Wyeth’s artistic talents is on display through January 12, 2020, in this fascinating exhibit at the Portland [Maine] Museum of Art. It seems that most people today, if they know anything about Newell Convers Wyeth, recognize him as the father of Andrew and grandfather of Jamie Wyeth, two renowned artists of more recent times.
Some people also may remember N.C., who died in a tragic accident in 1945, as the foremost illustrator of books and other publications during the first half of the 20th Century. A representative portion of the PMA exhibit is of those illustrations and it includes (among others) the following:
Bucking Bronco (1903), Saturday Evening Post Cover
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (1911)
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper (1919)
But, what may be of most interest to today’s art lovers and potential art lovers are the exhibit’s many examples of N.C.’s extraordinary explorations of other forms of so-called “noncommercial” or “fine” art.
One of our favorites is N.C.’s 1939 painting titled Island Funeral, above, which reflects his love of Maine and his magical ability to interpret Maine’s clouds, water, and light. By the way, the island above is Teel’s Island near Port Clyde, where N.C. had his summer residence. Other sea-related works include Yes, ‘N, He’d Let a Roar Outer Him, An Mebbe He’d Sing, “Hail Columbia, Happy Land!” (1914) (aka The Roaring Skipper); Dark Harbor Fishermen (1943) and The Lobsterman (1944) (aka The Doryman):
There are several haunting portrayals in the PMA show that show a master of dark light at work, including this one:
Nightfall (1945)
Among the joys of this exhibit is seeing the fascination of people of all ages with much of it. Perhaps this should not be surprising, since one of N.C. Wyeth’s talents was to instinctively know how to illustrate classics that were read and loved by all ages.
(Portland, Maine)