Andrew Wyeth Prints |
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The Brandywine River Museum Outreach Program
The Brandywine River Museum,
frequently referred to as the Wyeth Museum due
to its extensive collection of works by the
Wyeth family, is housed in an old 19th century
grist mill in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. In
2008, the museum announced its plans for the
creation of a special community outreach program
intended to help low-income students attending
educational and community organizations in the
greater Philadelphia region and in New Castle
County, Delaware. The inaugural group, consisting
of eighty fifth-grade students from Caln Elementary
in Thorndale, Pennsylvania, visited the museum
on January 30th, 2008 to view the exquisite
art works on display, as well as a special exhibition
by Jerry Pinkney. The museum is committed to
the preservation and exhibition of American
art. It showcases landscapes and still-life
pieces by various artists from the Brandywine
region.
The Founding Father
Within the walls of the Brandywine River Museum
hangs a vast collection of works done by three
generations of Wyeths: Newell Convers (N.C.),
Andrew and Jamie. N.C. Wyeth settled in the
Brandywine Valley in 1902. The museum houses
approximately 40 of his works, including ‘The
Black Arrow’, ‘The Boy’s King
Arthur’, ‘The Old Pew’, ‘The
Last of the Mohicans’ and pieces from
‘Treasure Island’ and ‘Kidnapped.’
N.C.’s house and studio were also acquired
by the museum and are now open for tours. N.C.’s
five children were artistically adept as well.
His well-known daughters, Carolyn and Henriette,
possessed tremendous artistic talent and are
well-represented in the museum. N.C.’s
youngest son, Andrew, was particularly gifted
and went on to become one of the most influential
figures in American art.
The
Skilled Son
The Andrew Wyeth Gallery contains approximately
40 watercolors, tempera, and dry brush paintings,
some of which being ‘Night Sleeper’,
‘Roasted Chestnuts’, ‘Siri’,
‘Snow Hill’, ‘Trodden Weed’,
‘Pennsylvania Landscape’ and ‘Evening
at Kuerner’s’, a painting that portrays
the neighboring Kuerner Farm owned by Karl and
Anna Kuerner. The farm was a major inspiration
for Andrew for over 70 years. His earliest painting
of the property goes back to 1932, when Andrew
was only a mere 15 years old. The young artist
developed a close bond with the couple, and
was soon permitted to roam the property and
the interior of the house at will to draw and
paint. The Kuerner Farm property was acquired
by the museum in 1999, and has been offering
tours since 2004.
The Gifted Grandson
The third generation of Wyeths represented at
the Brandywine River Museum is Andrew’s
younger son, Jamie. In his early twenties, Jamie
gained public acclaim for a posthumous painting
he had done of the ill-fated John F. Kennedy.
On display in the museum, are Jamie’s
stunning portraits of fellow artist Andy Warhol
and dancer Rudolf Nureyev. Jamie is also well-known
for his animal portraits, such as ‘The
Raven’, ‘Portrait of Pig’,
and ‘Angus’, which are also featured
in the museum’s collection. Jamie is praised
for his distinguishing style, which is characterized
by powerful images and sharp contrasts. He also
has an extensive collection of bird paintings
on display at the museum. The pieces range from
watercolor to oil on canvas, with some pieces
displaying combined mediums. Jamie’s bird
portraits represent a variety of birds with
seemingly human characteristics. See the Brandywine
River Museum for more information.
Written by Dan Woods
Dan Woods is a modern artist and is the owner of the website Andrew Wyeth Prints.
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