b. 1882 d. 1945
Site Affiliation: N. C. Wyeth Studio
N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945) was one of America’s foremost illustrators in the 20th century. In 1902, Wyeth joined the Howard Pyle School of Art in Wilmington, Delaware and became one of the period’s most popular magazine illustrators. In 1911, Charles Scribner’s Sons commissioned Wyeth to illustrate Treasure Island. Skillfully blending romance and realism, he gave dramatic form to Stevenson’s characters and soon became as famous as the authors whose stories he illustrated.
While sought after for book and magazine commissions throughout his career, Wyeth was troubled by the distinction made between illustrators and artists. His private work includes paintings of Chadds Ford as well as his summer property in Port Clyde, Maine.
N.C. Wyeth settled in Chadds Ford and with his wife, Carolyn, raised five talented children. Wyeth died suddenly in 1945, but his imagination and larger-than-life personality helped shape the next two generations of artists in the Wyeth family.
Primary Medium: Painting
Primary Stylistic Term: American Impressionist, American Illustrator, Regionalist
HAHS Affiliations: N. C.’s son Andrew Wyeth was born in this house and learned to paint in his father’s studio.
Fun Fact: When his children were young, each Christmas N. C. Wyeth would dress up as Santa Claus, scale the roof of the house and jingle sleigh bells down the chimney.