I noticed for the first time at the Wyeth collection in Rockland Maine that NC Wyeth was similar in his later, serious painting to Maxfield Parrish. As both were illustrators before they became renowned painters, it struck me that this might be the connection. The storytelling of illustration, gradually liberated because they had made enough money to be able to paint as they pleased. Putting them in this category brought Norman Rockwell to mind, another illustrator who increasingly became a serious painter as he went forward. All three ended up in rural New England settings.
I wondered if anyone had ever put any effort into the similarity before, assuming that some graduate student in art history had given it a go, and threw the three names into the search engine.
Well, well. There is an exhibit at the Norman Rockwell Museum in from now through January 4th, Illustrators of Light: Rockwell, Wyeth, and Parrish from the Edison Mazda Collection. I seem to have read some sub-zeitgeist pretty well. I would go this Tuesday but I think my family, especially my wife, might feel left out. Soon, though. With the difficult scheduling, maybe I'll go twice, with different batches of friends and family. There are other illustrator-painters in the exhibit as well.
Three examples that I don't believe are in this exhibit:
2 comments:
I have always liked NC Wyeth's work.
He is known for his adventure illustrations, but lots of his work is dark and moody.
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