THE ART OF N.C. WYETH
Illustration|Illustration No. 84
For over 25 years, N.C. Wyeth was regarded as the foremost illustrator of books and magazines in the United States. His artwork for iconic tales of romance and adventure has become synonymous with the stories themselves, familiar to multiple generations of readers. Some of the best-known characters in literature have become nearly indistinguishable from the images he produced.
Daniel Zimmer
THE ART OF N.C. WYETH

EARLY LIFE

Newell Convers Wyeth, born in Needham, Massachusetts, was the eldest son of Andrew Newell Wyeth, who operated a grain business in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and Henriette Zirngiebel Wyeth, granddaughter of the Swiss-born director of the Harvard Botanical Gardens. The Wyeth lineage traces back to Welsh roots (having arrived in North America in 1645), and their family history is entwined with significant events in American history. The Zirngiebels contributed sturdy French-Swiss lineage rooted in the vast 19th-century immigrant experience. Convers, as he was known, was raised in a family that cherished and nurtured this vibrant and diverse heritage, which profoundly impacted his work throughout his life. The modest Needham farm where Wyeth spent his early years heightened his appreciation for nature, supplying the animals and scenery he sketched during his childhood. Despite initial hesitation from his father but with his mother’s encouragement, he attended Mechanic Arts High School in Boston to study drafting, followed by the Massachusetts Normal Arts School. It was there that an instructor recommended he pursue a career in illustration. Wyeth briefly studied under artist and illustrator Eric Pape before spending the winter and spring of 1902 learning from Charles W. Reed, a book illustrator with vivid Civil War recollections. Throughout his life, Wyeth acknowledged his studies with Pape and Reed in biographical accounts.

HOWARD PYLE

This story is from the Illustration No. 84 edition of Illustration.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Illustration No. 84 edition of Illustration.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ILLUSTRATIONView All
THE ART OF PAUL BRANSOM
Illustration

THE ART OF PAUL BRANSOM

Paul Bransom (1885-1979) was widely known as the Dean of American Animal Artists. His work appeared on the covers of magazines like The Saturday Evening Post and served as illustrations of short stories in periodicals and in books. He provided the illustrations for some 45 books, most notably the 1912 edition of Jack London’s Call of the Wild and the 1913 edition of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows.

time-read
4 mins  |
Illustration No. 83
THE ART OF FRANK MCCARTHY
Illustration

THE ART OF FRANK MCCARTHY

Witnessing a Wild West show as a young boy was a crucial early influence that led Frank McCarthy to become a distinguished painter of Western historical themes. The excitement and emotion he felt that day stayed with him, and can be seen in the vivid action, color, and splendor that emanate from his paintings.

time-read
4 mins  |
Illustration No. 83
THE ART OF WARD BRACKETT
Illustration

THE ART OF WARD BRACKETT

Ward Brackett (April 2, 1914–December 14, 2006) was a gifted American illustrator, known for his work in paperback books and periodicals such as Reader’s Digest and Cosmopolitan.

time-read
2 mins  |
Illustration No. 84
THE ART OF N.C. WYETH
Illustration

THE ART OF N.C. WYETH

For over 25 years, N.C. Wyeth was regarded as the foremost illustrator of books and magazines in the United States. His artwork for iconic tales of romance and adventure has become synonymous with the stories themselves, familiar to multiple generations of readers. Some of the best-known characters in literature have become nearly indistinguishable from the images he produced.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Illustration No. 84
THE ART OF CHARLES LASALLE
Illustration

THE ART OF CHARLES LASALLE

\"We have some artists in the family.\" I didn't know it at the time, but my future father-in-law Aiden E. LaSalle was a master of understatement.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Illustration No. 80
THE ART OF PRUETT CARTER
Illustration

THE ART OF PRUETT CARTER

Pruett Carter was once recognized as one of America's top illustrators, during a time when illustrations were viewed primarily as easel paintings

time-read
10+ mins  |
Illustration No. 80
THE ART OF RAYMOND JOHNSON
Illustration

THE ART OF RAYMOND JOHNSON

Raymond Sven (Ray) Johnson was a commercial illustrator who created iconic paperback book covers spanning all genres of fiction for Avon, Popular Library, Monarch and other publishers from the late 1940s through the early 1960s.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Illustration No. 77
"Blow some my way"
Illustration

"Blow some my way"

THE DELINEATION OF DESIRE IN 1920s COMMERCIAL ILLUSTRATION

time-read
10+ mins  |
Illustration No. 77
THE ART OF FRITZ WILLIS
Illustration

THE ART OF FRITZ WILLIS

Fritz Willis was born in Oklahoma in 1907, and raised in Boston.

time-read
5 mins  |
Illustration No. 77
THE ART OF WILLIAM OBERHARDT
Illustration

THE ART OF WILLIAM OBERHARDT

Illustrator William Oberhardt (1882-1958) was born in Guttenberg, New Jersey, 1882.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Illustration No. 76