I was just recently introduced to the artwork of Andrew Wyeth when a few pieces from a private collection were on display at the Seattle Art Museum. I had originally gone to see the Michelangelo exhibit (which turned out to be a bit boring), but the cost of the ticket was redeemed when I came across Wyeth’s paintings.  One piece in particular captured my attention – it was called “Cape Coat” and featured his model Helga standing in front of a tree in winter.

wyeth

From Wikipedia:

Andrew Newell Wyeth (July 12, 1917 – January 16, 2009) was a visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century and was sometimes referred to as the “Painter of the People,” due to his work’s popularity with the American public.

In his art, Wyeth’s favorite subjects were the land and people around him, both in his hometown of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, and at his summer home in Cushing, Maine.

One of the most well-known images in 20th-century American art is his painting, Christina’s World, currently in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

If you have a chance to see any of his paintings nearby, definitely go check them out. The digital images online do not capture the emotions, depth, colors, and details that are apparent in person.  The photograph above was taken by Bruce Weber.