Last Thursday I spent the day with the Wyeth family.
I have wanted to go to the Brandywine Museum of Art for a long time and last week I took a day off to make the drive down to Chadds Ford, PA. It was a beautiful April afternoon and I found the museum with only a few other people and I was able to stroll the creaky-floored galleries and soak up the artworks as if it were all just for me. Sun streamed in from the large windows that curve along the western wall of the modern addition of the historic barn-like building. Climbing the stairs to each new gallery floor gave a new view of the Brandywine Creek, art in itself, over which the museum perches.
I’m, of course, familiar with the Wyeths, but learned so much I didn’t know in the few hours I spent there. Andrew is perhaps the most famous painter in the family, with his muted colors and unparalled detailed and textural brushwork. His subjects reflect the rural landscapes and family he grew up with. The world he paints feels so familiar and the images really resonate, but it’s because these ordinary subjects are infused with such mood and meaning you become transformed. NC Wyeth, Andrew’s father, is known for his stunning book illustrations, work which defined him and which he later worked hard to transcend. His works are full of power and life and color. He’s a true master. But it’s Jamie Wyeth, son of Andrew, that was my favorite. A contemporary of Warhol, his works reflect the influence of the Pop Art movement in size and power.
I also viewed an amazing photography exhibit of Robert Frank and Todd Webb, documentarians of America that reflect years of travel and truly seeing their subjects.
I took a few photos of some of my favorite works, but just know they do not do any justice to these masterpieces. You have to go in person.
