Christina's World by Andrew
Wyeth
An In-Depth Look at Christina's World
Andrew Wyeth (American, 1917-2009). Christina's
World, 1948. Tempera on gessoed panel.
About Christina's World
Andrew Wyeth painted this in 1948. His father, N. C. Wyeth, had been killed at a
railway crossing just three years earlier, and Andrew's work underwent a
significant change after the loss. His palette became muted, his landscapes
barren and his figures--if present--seemed plaintive. Christina's World epitomizes these
traits, and conveys the impression that it is an outward expression of Wyeth's
inner grief.
Inspiration
Anna Christina Olson (1893-1968) was a lifelong
resident of the Cushing, Maine farm pictured in Christina's
World.
She had a
degenerative muscular disorder (undiagnosed, but sometimes identified as polio)
that took away her ability to walk by the late 1920s. Eschewing a wheelchair,
she crawled around the house and grounds.
Wyeth, who had summered in Maine for many years, met the spinster Olson and her bachelor brother, Alvaro, in 1939. The three were introduced by Wyeth's future wife, Betsy James (b. 1922), another long-term summer resident. It's hard to say what fired the young artist's imagination more: the Olson siblings or their residence.
Wyeth, who had summered in Maine for many years, met the spinster Olson and her bachelor brother, Alvaro, in 1939. The three were introduced by Wyeth's future wife, Betsy James (b. 1922), another long-term summer resident. It's hard to say what fired the young artist's imagination more: the Olson siblings or their residence.
Models
We have three here, actually. The figure's
wasted limbs and pink dress belong to Christina Olson. The youthful head and
torso, however, belong to Betsy Wyeth who was then in her mid-20s (as opposed
to Christina's then-mid-50s).
The most famous "model" in this scene is the Olson farmhouse itself, on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995.
The most famous "model" in this scene is the Olson farmhouse itself, on the National Register of Historic Places since 1995.
Technique
The composition is perfectly asymmetrically
balanced, though parts of the farmhouse were rearranged by artistic license to
accomplish this feat. Wyeth painted in egg tempera, a medium that requires the
artist to mix (and constantly monitor) his own paints, but allows for great
control. Notice the incredible detail here, where individual hairs and blades
of grass are painstakingly highlighted.
Critical Reception
Christina's World was met with little critical notice
after its completion, mainly because (1) the Abstract Expressionists were
making most of the arts news and (2) the founding director of MoMA, Alfred
Barr, snapped it up almost immediately for $1,800. The few art critics who
commented at the time were lukewarm at best. During the ensuing six decades the
painting has become a MoMA highlight and is very rarely loaned. The last
exception was to an Andrew Wyeth memorial show at the Brandywine River Museum
in his native town of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.
More telling is how large a part Christina's World plays in popular culture. Writers, filmmakers and other visual artists reference it, and the public has always loved it. 45 years ago you'd have been hard-pressed to find a single Pollock reproduction within 20 square city blocks, but everyone knew at least one person who had a copy of Christina's World hanging somewhere on a wall.
More telling is how large a part Christina's World plays in popular culture. Writers, filmmakers and other visual artists reference it, and the public has always loved it. 45 years ago you'd have been hard-pressed to find a single Pollock reproduction within 20 square city blocks, but everyone knew at least one person who had a copy of Christina's World hanging somewhere on a wall.
Where to See It
The Museum of Modern Art, New York
http://arthistory.about.com/od/famous_paintings/ss/andrew_wyeth_christinas_world.htm?utm_content=20160809&utm_medium=email&utm_source=exp_nl&utm_campaign=list_esl&utm_term=list_esl
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