First published 1998
Newell Convers Wyeth stands before his easel in his Chadds Ford studio, torn between the illustration work that pays his bills and the paintings that feed his soul. The celebrated artist behind Treasure Island's swashbuckling pirates and Robin Hood's forest adventures finds himself trapped by his own success. Publishers demand more of his dramatic book illustrations while galleries dismiss him as merely a commercial artist. Wyeth battles to support his growing family, including his talented son Andrew, while yearning for recognition as a serious painter. He pushes against the boundaries that confine him, seeking to prove that popular art can possess the same power and beauty as gallery masterworks. His struggle reflects the broader tension between art and commerce in early twentieth century America, where an artist's worth often depends on others' definitions of legitimacy rather than the passion and skill poured into each brushstroke.
Genres: biography, art, 20th-century, art-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family
Setting: Chadds Ford
Period: Early 20th Century
555 pages · Hardcover · Knopf