Art Review - Spring. "Song" by N.C. Wyeth, Brandywine River Museum of Art, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania

For today's #MuseumTourTuesday, I'd like to share a painting by American artist N.C. Wyeth that Kimberly and I viewed last summer at the Brandywine River Museum of Art.

Wyeth felt that this painting was a breakthrough in his artistic development, and it was not created as a commercial illustration.

While Wyeth considered this piece a "painting" rather than an "illustration," there is a solid design to the image. The elements are broken down to simplified, almost flat shapes, yet the subtle paint textures and color variations within those shapes add a sense of depth to the painting.

 

Spring. "Song"
 • N.C. Wyeth • 1909
 • Oil on canvas 
• 33 3/4" x 30 1/4"

Notice the simplicity in the painting of the face. A slight darkening of value for the eye sockets and a hint of highlight on the nose. Nothing more is necessary.

 

Spring. "Song" Detail
 • N.C. Wyeth • 1909
 • Oil on canvas 
• 33 3/4" x 30 1/4"

 

What really excites me about this piece is the subtle buildup of textures within the individual shapes of the image. Here, you can see the small strokes of light cool greens atop a warmer color beneath. The values are so close, that the colors combine to create one solid shape.

 

Spring. "Song" Detail
 • N.C. Wyeth • 1909
 • Oil on canvas 
• 33 3/4" x 30 1/4"

 

Painting photos by Saunders Fine Arts.


© Patrick and Kimberly Saunders, Patrick Saunders Fine Arts, 2020. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors/owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Patrick Saunders for painted works, or to Kimberly Saunders for photographs and/or videos, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.