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Lot Essay
The present work was reproduced on the cover of the December 20th, 1922 issue of Popular Magazine. Famed American Illustrator N.C. Wyeth experienced a fruitful relationship with the publication, which featured his paintings on numerous covers from 1909 to 1923. Subjects for these projects primarily consisted of single, heroic figures set within a sparse landscape—the present work likely inspired by the artist’s hometown of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania and possibly depicting Kuerner Farm in the distance, a locale made famous by Wyeth’s son Andrew Wyeth.
Wyeth painted Christmas subjects in at least fifteen works for varying publications and uses, ranging from biblical imagery, to familial scenes, to a spectrum of interpretations of Santa Clause both humorous and saccharine. It was this dynamic sensibility that made Wyeth’s scenes of fantasy and reality alike so popular, and his Christmas subjects especially seem to be infused with his own personal enthusiasm for the holiday and its special traditions.
Moreover, interest in the theme passed through the family to Andrew Wyeth, whose interpretations range from charming Christmas cards to some of his most complex psychological masterworks such as Snow Hill (1989, The Andrew and Betsy Wyeth Collection, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania). In 1971, Andrew described his family’s Christmas traditions to Life magazine, explaining, “My father made Christmas joyous—the house was just loaded with Christmas—but it was a serious matter. Everything was made a great deal of. For instance, the tree would still be there way after New Year’s. The needles will fall. And my father would say, ‘Now we’ve got to light the tree one more time.’” (Andrew Wyeth, “Christmas is to get really excited about something,” Life, December 17, 1971, p. 125)
Wyeth’s spirited affection for Christmas is palpable in Christmas Tree - Chadds Ford (Popular Magazine, cover illustration). In the present example, the figure’s brisk movement and jubilant expression suggest the unparalleled excitement around selecting the perfect Christmas tree, a beloved family tradition shared by many. Whether the figure is delivering the sacred idol to his own home or to another, he nevertheless exudes the joy of the season through rosy cheeks and a sparkling smile. In an ode to Saint Nick, Wyeth dresses his hero in a purposeful red coat and white scarf, underscoring the magic of a special delivery in the spirit of giving as a hallmark of the holiday.
Wyeth painted Christmas subjects in at least fifteen works for varying publications and uses, ranging from biblical imagery, to familial scenes, to a spectrum of interpretations of Santa Clause both humorous and saccharine. It was this dynamic sensibility that made Wyeth’s scenes of fantasy and reality alike so popular, and his Christmas subjects especially seem to be infused with his own personal enthusiasm for the holiday and its special traditions.
Moreover, interest in the theme passed through the family to Andrew Wyeth, whose interpretations range from charming Christmas cards to some of his most complex psychological masterworks such as Snow Hill (1989, The Andrew and Betsy Wyeth Collection, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania). In 1971, Andrew described his family’s Christmas traditions to Life magazine, explaining, “My father made Christmas joyous—the house was just loaded with Christmas—but it was a serious matter. Everything was made a great deal of. For instance, the tree would still be there way after New Year’s. The needles will fall. And my father would say, ‘Now we’ve got to light the tree one more time.’” (Andrew Wyeth, “Christmas is to get really excited about something,” Life, December 17, 1971, p. 125)
Wyeth’s spirited affection for Christmas is palpable in Christmas Tree - Chadds Ford (Popular Magazine, cover illustration). In the present example, the figure’s brisk movement and jubilant expression suggest the unparalleled excitement around selecting the perfect Christmas tree, a beloved family tradition shared by many. Whether the figure is delivering the sacred idol to his own home or to another, he nevertheless exudes the joy of the season through rosy cheeks and a sparkling smile. In an ode to Saint Nick, Wyeth dresses his hero in a purposeful red coat and white scarf, underscoring the magic of a special delivery in the spirit of giving as a hallmark of the holiday.