Andrew Wyeth: The Helga Pictures

Customer Reviews:

A Great Wyeth Book.......2005-10-20

Yes, this IS one of the great Andrew Wyeth books. Everyone interested in this great American artist will love it. This was my first Wyeth book. It was on my shelf for a long time, and I knew I liked his work. After my retirement in 2001, I began painting with watercolors and looked around for some work I liked for inspiration and found only Winslow Homer and Andrew Wyeth. Later, I was fortunate to see the Helga show in Omaha and found out how amazing Wyeth really is. I spent hours looking at these paintings trying to figure out how he was able to balance areas of color that looked almost poured on next to areas of almost photographic detail. I have read that that's what they call drybrush technique. Well, maybe so, but I call it sheer genius. As with all Wyeth reproductions in books, this one is good, but after you have seen the actual paintings, they are but pale shadows. Nevertheless, I love this book. It is the next best thing to being near a museum where you can see the originals. Wyeth is indeed an inspiration.

He must have been in love.......2005-06-19

I don't mean that Helga was his lover. Still, the artist has an intense experience of his model, and Helga was his model for 15 years.

This is an outstanding book in lots of ways. The subject matter is beyond belief, and the reproductions are good. The visual content is organized well: major pieces are chronological, and sketches and studies are gouped with the pieces they support. I find it very helpful to see the sketches, and see all the variations that Wyeth tried before committing to a more dmanding piece. Those groups of drawings are drawing lessons themselves, in how to explore a visual idea. The text is a bit thin, and says nearly nothing about Helga herself - not a flaw in the book, so much as a step short of what it could have been.

Most of all, the pictures are simply lovely. Helga was a very handsome woman, in her 50s in the lastest of these pictures. Not 'pretty' maybe, but very beautiful - at least, she is presented as very beautiful, and very real. Some of the nudes studies show her arms crossed, oddly compressing her natural curves. That just makes the pictures more genuine for me, showing her as she is, not made up to some anatomical ideal.

Explanatory text could have been more explanatory, but that's OK. The large majority of the book is just the pictures themselves, and I don't mind being alone with them.

//wiredweird

Andrew Wyeth One of America's Finest Painters.......2005-05-31

For well over 25 years I have examined and reviewed countless paintings of the Wyeth family (N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, & Jamie Wyeth) who are all phenomenal painters. But the quality of the Compositions, the details of the clothing, nature and the human figure are an amazing spectacle when you review this book of Andrew's work. What an amazing technician he is.

Whether you're an art collector, painter or art critic you will admit that this book contains some of the most intriguing and interesting art.

Andrew Wyeth is a master at creating depth in each picture. The justaposition of figure to landscape or figure to interior items seems to be a heighted sense of "knowing" in Andrew's work. This book helped me to conclude that Andrew Wyeth is a genius who is in full command of his materials. If you think Steven Spielberg is a great film producer than it won't be hard for you to conclude that Andrew Wyeth is also a great painter.

The details in the picture "Farm Road" are excellent. Helga's hair is detailed as if painted with a laser while the leather strap from the bag she is carrying appears worn like real leather. The muted colors of green, brown and reddish tones in the coat and the rich transparency of light emanating from her cheek are amazingly done with subtlety and richness you will appreciate.

My degree in Accounting allows me to be able to count the hundreds of amazing things that are going on in each work while my degree in Art allows me to appreciate the quality of the brush work and the transparency range in each painting.

Unknown Terrain: The Landscapes of Andrew Wyeth (A Whitney Museum of American Art Book)

Average customer rating:

Gorgeous Work in a Gorgeous Book
A Happy Purchase
What the text says, or what you see?
Beautiful watercolors!

Unknown Terrain: The Landscapes of Andrew Wyeth (A Whitney Museum of American Art Book)
Beth Venn , Adam D. Weinberg , Andrew Wyeth , and Michael G. Kammen
Manufacturer: Whitney Museum of Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic
Winslow Homer Watercolors (Watson-Guptill Famous Artists)
Andrew Wyeth: Close Friends
Winslow Homer Watercolors
Watercolor, You Can Do It!

ASIN: 0810968274

Amazon.com

Unknown Terrain: The Landscapes of Andrew Wyeth makes an irresistible case for ignoring both Wyeth's sentimental champions and his cynical detractors. It's easy to understand either pole of opinion about this very American painter, but harder to get to the essence of what makes him excite such vehemence. In the end, it may simply be that he is very, very good, and like all good painters, a little too complicated for most critics.

For one thing, while Wyeth does have a special sensitivity for suggestive narrative elements, he is also an abstract painter, with a powerful sense of gesture, stroke, and pattern. Some of his watercolors are as thrusting and liquid as Jackson Pollock's drips, and almost as nonobjective. Other compositions can be as fixed as Christina's World, the huge 1948 painting for which he is perhaps best known, but within the strictly ordered confines of tempera, a painstaking medium, he still handles the brush with bravura. The authors of Unknown Terrain make an attempt to elucidate Wyeth's relationship to this century, and they succeed admirably--with the help of nearly 200 reproductions.

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous Work in a Gorgeous Book.......2006-10-21

If this were a hardbound edition (it may exist?) it would sell for an expensive price. The color plates, index and footnotes are exquisitely designed and printed in this softbound catalog edition. Anecdotes are plentiful, critical examination controversial, but this catalog of Wyeth's work is beautifully presented and great fun to examine. The words of critics are always oddly out of place and hard to swallow and fortunately there aren't many critic's editorials contained here. It's the dozens and dozens of paintings that are in this book-exquisite! As many of A.W.'s pieces were of a comparatively large dimension-as far as water-based works go, the plates do not capture the spatial and color phenomena of these paintings, but this is as good as it gets-next to a visit to a museum to view them "live!" One would be hard-pressed to find this many unpublished, heretofore unexhibited Wyeth pieces under one roof! A very enjoyable publication!

A Happy Purchase.......2001-11-18

The staff of the Whitney Museum for a 1998 Wyeth exhibition compiled this beautifully printed and bound book. The stock is heavy and glossy and the colors sharp and clear. Many watercolors included have not been publicly seen for years, as many private collectors contributed their paintings for this exhibition. The dates of the compositions range from the early 30's through the late 90's.

The two most recognized American artists of the 20th Century are Andys-Wyeth and Warhol, and they have more in common than their initials. Both are controversial and neither is as "realistic" as accused and/or categorized.

My enjoyment of Andrew Wyeth was never diminished by the fact that I had a lot of company. Popularity does not necessarily mean inferiority in spite of what the self-consuming art world tells us. True, you have to have a certain fondness for bleak settings to properly take pleasure in most of the paintings. I often idly wondered if Wyeth ever painted landscapes in spring or summer and why he was so enamored of bare earth and beige and brown compositions. I have never seen as many abstracts as are contained in this book.

The essays in the book are interesting, but not so prevalent as to overshadow the marvelous prints. My only complaint is the book is an unhandy shape, longer than it is tall, making it difficult to shelve. However, this is minor. Many hours of viewing pleasure are in store.

What the text says, or what you see?.......2000-08-04

When you view the work of an artist, who is to be the arbiter of what, in this case the painting is about, what it means? Do you turn to the Professional Art Critic, Art History Majors, you the viewer, or the man or woman who created the work? In this case the Artist is well and painting, and his thoughts about his work are many and well documented.

This book on the paintings of Andrew Wyeth focuses primarily on the media of watercolor and drybrush as opposed to the egg tempera paintings that are the medium for so many of his most famous works. Mr. Wyeth takes up to 6 months for a tempera work, and completes as few as 2-4 a year. The images in this book are produced by the hundreds, and over his career amount to literally thousands of images. This book discusses and publishes many images that have never been publicly shown, and uses this body of work to advance various ideas.

The book is a valuable addition to those who are admirers of his work, the opinions that are expressed by people other than the artist, are either critical to the book on one extreme, or mostly ridiculous from where I sit.

Andrew Wyeth has been a target for the self-proclaimed tastemakers of Art for one reason; his art is widely admired, collected, and highly valued. These elements automatically qualify him for criticism that is so absurd; it adds a comedic aspect to the text. Then there are those who do love his work but feel they must demonstrate that, yes, he is what the critics say he is not, and even more!

The text did help me understand more about the method by which Mr. Wyeth creates these works, and the role they sometimes play in a major tempera piece. I loved his work before this book, and will continue to regardless of what "they" have to say. The only individual whose comments matter are Mr. Wyeth's. His thoughts are documented; I don't see the need for others to presume they know better than he what he paints, and what his intent was when he created the work.

The book is great for the new images it brings to the public. Everything about the construction of the book is as good as you will find in a commercial publication, and the color plates are excellent. As to the text, that is left for you to decide, I am placing the stars above for the Artist and his work, not for what others have to say about it.

Beautiful watercolors!.......2000-07-25

A collection containing a number of stunning watercolors loosely executed, rarely included in a book of Wyeth's works. Also includes many of his more labored tempera paintings.

Average customer rating:

Starry Night's flipped
Not what I'd hoped for
If you want to get in to art, this is a good start.
Easily Readable and Color Intense
Good overview, nice tips

Art for Dummies
Thomas Hoving
Manufacturer: For Dummies
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Binding: Paperback

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Art: The World's Greatest Paintings Explored and Explained

ASIN: 0764551043

Amazon.com

What a privilege it is to stroll through thousands of years of magnificent art with the keen-eyed, confident, supremely knowledgeable Thomas Hoving, the former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, whose opinionated, charming prose could make anyone feel like an art-world insider. Whether or not you know an ism from an altarpiece, Hoving will gently grasp your elbow and welcome you to the party, introducing you to everyone who's anyone and encouraging you to partake of the nourishing, sumptuous feast. Like most of the books in the For Dummies series, this one isn't, really. It's a delightful, erudite romp, cleverly and clearly designed to allow the art-curious reader to correct for a nearly universal deficit in American education. There are pictures, of course, including some in color, but this book assumes real love on the part of the reader, who is expected to get off the couch and--with Hoving's excellent guidance--go find the real thing and gaze upon it in the flesh.

Tom the Jargon Slayer offers 14 chapters on the history of Western art, from cave painting to the 1999 Venice Biennale; others cover appreciating art ("the only true enemy of art is good taste"); beginning your own collection ("Dürer is never mushy"); and what to do if your child shows artistic genius ("get out of the way"). He offers readers a priceless tip on how to visit any museum, tells you where the hidden gems are all over the world, describes a mysterious expedition with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to the Hermitage, and sputters bitterly over a shortsighted superior who refused to allow him, then a young curator, to buy a tiny Flemish masterpiece that is now a centerpiece at a rival museum. Although written for adults, this fact-filled book would entertain and educate students from middle school on. --Peggy Moorman

Book Description

If you've always wanted to find out more about art but felt intimidated by the overeducated art world, then you've found the answer. Art For Dummies is the book that will have you and everyone you know clamoring outside the doors of your local museum. Thomas Hoving, former director of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, is credited with revolutionizing the Met, doubling its size during his tenure, and bringing art to the masses. Let him bring art to you as well.

In Art For Dummies, Thomas Hoving provides a how-to guide to the art world. First, he guides you through an introduction to art appreciation, pointing out the details that you've always noticed but have never been able to explain. Next, Hoving takes you on a ride through art history. (Have you ever regretted not taking those art history classes in school With Art For Dummies, you'll feel all caught up and ready to spar with the local intellectuals.) Hoving even includes a guide to the world?s top art cities and centers, a listing that can help you prepare for your next artistic voyage. With this guide, you can discover where to go in order to see the greatest works of art, and you can also find out about hidden treasures in nearby art museums.

You also get a great start for seeking out art with Hoving's lists of the greatest works of Western civilization, the most interesting artists, and the contemporary artists to watch. Don?t wait another day to introduce yourself to the art world!

Customer Reviews:

Starry Night's flipped.......2007-09-20

I liked his anecdotes a lot and I agree with his overall philosophy about art, but agree with others on the shortcomings.

Not what I'd hoped for.......2007-01-05

My husband and I are planning a trip to Europe with our teenaged kids this summer, and I had hoped to refresh my very faded memories of the Humanities class I took in High School, and get useful info that I could convey to my kids regarding the art we will be touring this summer. Unfortunately this book is not really helping. The descriptions are all over the place - for each art style or era or artist, he highlights selected works, maybe two or three, as good examples - but rarely shows a photo of what he is describing, and when he does the b/w photos are uselessly small and grainy. It is not helpful to me to say, for example, that the two most important examples of Uppity-Up style can be found in Turkey and Egypt - and then not show the photo of them. When will I ever get to see those? It's a big deal for us to go to London! Forget the Nile! Rather, I'd love to have a listing of more accessible examples, with references to the best but inaccessible pieces in case I'm a real globe trotter.

Another gripe - he spends a great deal of time early in the book telling us that the stereotypes of art are false - it's not pretentious, it's not accessible only to the rich, it's not hard to get the "meaning" from a piece, etc. Then the rest of the book is written in a very dry, scholarly style. He tells us we have to travel all over the place to see the best stuff. He also seems to brag about the pieces of art that he has had access to that most people in the world will never be able to see. What's the use of that? If that's not pretentious, I don't know what is.

This book is not scratching my itch, and certainly is not helping me find ways to educate my (bored with art) teenagers.

If you want to get in to art, this is a good start........2006-08-14

I've always enjoyed looking at art, but not only had trouble with expressing my feelings, but also understanding what was going through the artist's mind when they created their masterpiece. Mr.Hoving uses wit and charm to guide his reader through a very extensive lesson in art history: from the very first cave paintings ,to the Renaissance, to Modern Art. You will also learn a lot of tidbits about art history, and about all of art's major players (e.g. Raphael, Hugo, Picasso). He even teaches you how to select art to start your own collection!
I'd still say that the best way to learn to critique art, is to go to a museum with a friend/parent that knows their stuff, and just have them "think outloud" when they are viewing the paintings. You do eventually want to go from: "Wow that painting of that lady is pretty," to "by giving her a coy look coupled with a slight smirk, the artist was clearly trying to convey the 'I know you want me, but you can just keep dreaming,' attitude." ;) And that kind of critical thinking is a skill that can be acquired with lots of real world practice--which no book will be able to provide you with.
Note: I had to lower my review slightly after reading about the errors pointed out by the professors. That is indeed embarassing.

Easily Readable and Color Intense.......2005-07-12

Did you skip art history 101 in college? Do you enjoy visiting museums but when you are not with your curator pal, you are utterly clueless as to how to optimize your visit? Fortunately, this book can help!

Art for Dummies is written in a very easily digestible style by the former director of the Met in New York and former editor of Connoisseur magazine. It essentially lays out the different art periods, highlights those works of art that are considered most famous and of the greatest importance (note: rather subjective as always...) and even goes so far as to display these works in color pictures. If you are a burgeoning art philomath, you may find this book a good tool for moving up the learning curve.

There are also good tips on how to get the most out of a museum visit and a helpful bibliography with online material. After reading this book one will easily be able to answer the following queries without a dumbfounded look on one's face:

-What are your three favorite works of art and by whom?
-What are the 10 best museums in the world?
-Where is Rousseau's Sleeping Gypsy housed?
-Where was the Venus of Willendorf found?
-What work of art did the first woman pharaoh build?

A special nonlocal thanks to the friend that purchased this book for me!

Good overview, nice tips.......2004-06-29

I am a big fan of the Dummies series of books (I've read Mutual Funds for dummies when I was new to investing, anticipate purchasing Wine for Dummies, and have also read Personal Finance for Dummies), the pictures are nice, the it is easily digestable and worth the price.

I like the little tips that they suggest. For example, the author suggests litte tricks the "pros" use when visiting museums. For instance, if one is short of time, simply make a first stop to the museum's gift shop where most often, pictures of the museum's best exhibits are on the post cards. This tells you the best that the place has to offer and gives you the heads up about what not to miss if you can't see everything.

Book Description

Prior to the 1960s, Andrew Wyeth enjoyed a stellar reputation as a rising star in the art world. Since then, critics and scholars have largely ignored him. Wyeth, however, who is age 88 at the date of publication, has continued to paint, to the delight of his admirers, collectors, and the art-loving public. Now, in association with the High Museum exhibition, Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic takes a fresh look at the work of one of America's most beloved artists.In examining his entire oeuvre, the book celebrates the artist's ongoing love affair with everyday life-domestic, natural, and architectural. Found throughout Wyeth's work, these objects form patterns that illuminate core themes and reveal the artist wrestling with issues of memory, temporality, embodiment, and the metaphysical. Organized chronologically and thematically, the book explores how the artist's approach to these subjects was formed in his early career, and has been revisited in new and surprising ways in recent years.Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic comprises 150 tempera paintings and 50 drawings and watercolors-including his most-famous works, but also many published here for the first time.

Customer Reviews:

A Beautiful and Worthwhile Book.......2007-08-09

As a collector of books by and about Andrew Wyeth, I must say this is a tasteful and beautifully produced art book with insightful essays by five excellent writers who know their subject well. Wyeth has been around for a long time and started fading from public consciousness after the "Helga Affair" -- undeservedly so. To my mind he is still one of America's greatest 20th century cultural treasures. The book resulted from a retrospective exhibit of Wyeth's work in 2005/2006. My only reservation about the book is that it shows too many of Wyeth's pieces that are in all the other books about his work. But that may be Wyeth's choice and must be respected.

Wyeth Review.......2007-02-14

The book was well written, interesting, and informative. Color plates depicting Wyeth's paintings were bright and clear. The book arrived timely and in excellent condition. Well satisfied.

The Legend of Andrew Wyeth .......2007-02-07

I've been a long-time, unashamed fan of Andrew Wyeth's remarkable, if not controversial career as a great American artist. This exhibition catalogue illustrates many famous paintings along with some very rarely-seen works done by none other than Andrew Wyeth himself. The essays are freshly written and easily understood. The book is packed with colorful illustrations along with other illustrated pictures of paintings that were not included in the show. Highly recommended for anyone who is intrigued by Wyeth's legendary journey as one of America's most-loved artists.

Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic.......2007-01-03

This makes for a fantastic coffee table book if you are a Wyeth fan. To be blunt the only reason I purchased this book is because my favorite Wyeth works are not commercially available. I would shove my grandmother down a flight of stairs to get my hands on Adrift as it is my favorite Wyeth work. But alas, the book does the trick.

The Beauty Of Wyeth's Recent Work.......2006-03-31

Andrew Wyeth is an American master and his works shine with not only an inner light, but an inner glory. Several dozen of his (mostly recent) paintings are to be found in this collection, along with notes, comments, and background histories. A truly great collection by an artist whose talents speak of genius.

Average customer rating:

Early Essays

The Art of Andrew Wyeth
Wanda M. Corn
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co (P)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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An American Vision: Three Generations of Wyeth Art: N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, James Wyeth

ASIN: 0821206850

Customer Reviews:

Early Essays.......2006-05-27

Sure there are much better reproductions of these Wyeth paintings out there, but if you have not purchased this book of 1973 essays do it now for a real treat. Sure everyone is waiting for the catalog raisone, but while you are waiting take a trip into the past with:
A Visit to Wyeth Country by Brian O'Doherty
Andrew Wyeth Interview by Richard Meryman
Andrew Wyeth's Painting Techniques by E.P. Richardson
The Art of Andrew Wyeth by Wanda M. Corn
Sure I bought all the good books first and passed this one over, but at the price it is selling today I'd really recommend these essays to you. Some of us can never get enough Wyeth, and this is good stuff.
4 stars for the reproductions. The text is 5 stars all the way.

Andrew Wyeth: Master Drawings from the Artist's Collection

Average customer rating:

Seeing the foundations; the pencil studies of Andrew Wyeth

Andrew Wyeth: Master Drawings from the Artist's Collection
Henry Adams , and Andrew Wyeth
Manufacturer: Brandywine River Museum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic
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ASIN: 0295986158

Book Description

This book presents drawings that Andrew Wyeth retained for his own collection -- many preliminary to well-known paintings. Created over more than five decades, from 1951 to 2005, they range from portraits of family members and friends to vibrant depictions of objects, landscapes, and buildings in and around the artist's homes in Pennsylvania and Maine. These works reflect the insight, emotion, and technique that are uniquely his. They demonstrate Wyeth's extraordinary skill as a draftsman and the accuracy with which he sees light and dark, enabling him to model forms while suggesting the very substance and texture of what he sees.

"I have always been powerfully affected by Andrew Wyeth's drawings and studies -- particularly those studies that do not attempt to cover the whole surface of the paper but instead focus on a few elements, so that the image seems to emerge magically from the empty white background, rather like a photograph that we observe in the process of development." -- Henry Adams

Customer Reviews:

Seeing the foundations; the pencil studies of Andrew Wyeth.......2007-01-05

I have had great admiration for the work of Wyeth for years now, but this book blew me away with its reproductions of Wyeth's pencil drawings. While most are unfinished pencil studies done as preparatory work for his watercolors and temperas, his skill and technique are awe inspiring. He has the ability to realistically render both the texture of an object and the effect of light on that object without appearing overworked or labored. There is a freshness, immediacy, and sense of spontaneity in all of the drawings.

As someone who wishes to improve his own ability to draw, I found the unfinished nature of the drawings enlightening, allowing me to see the manner in which Wyeth works. It also highlights his ability to see the essentials of what interests him about a scene, and then capture that essence quickly and masterfully.

Average customer rating:

Andrew Wyeth:Autobiography
Enjoyable read
one of the best
American Legend
A biography in pictures

Andrew Wyeth: Autobiography
Thomas Hoving , and Andrew Wyeth
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0821225693

Customer Reviews:

Andrew Wyeth:Autobiography.......2007-01-16

I purchased this item as a gift for an artist friend, she was very happy with the quality of the reproductions in this book.

Enjoyable read.......2006-11-05

I didn't know a lot about Andrew Wyeths work before reading this book. I had seen the paintings and I liked them a lot, but I didn't know that much about them.

The book is labeled as an autobiography, but its form is not what many might expect. This is not a book consisting of prose with the occasional picture, it is a book that mainly shows Wyeths paintings with a paragraph or two about the paintings below. Written by Wyeth. For some this may not be what they are looking for, but I liked this very much.

It is a very good introduction to Wyeth's paintings and the subject matter he painted. The people, the places and their history. There isn't a lot of information about Wyeth himself in the book. At least not in the sense one would expect from a traditional biopgraphy. But after reading it I feel I know a lot more about both Wyeth and his paintings than a typical art-history or biographical text would give me.

I'd be happy to recommend this book.

one of the best.......2005-04-03

My teacher introduced me to Andrew Wyeth's paintings and drawings about a year or two ago. I've been in love with his work ever since. It's just how beautiful his linework is and how he brings life to the paintings. That is so incredibly rare. There are plenty of portrait artists out there, but I can't think of one that impresses me as much as he does. I think this is because of how well he knew his subjects.

He said drawing with pencil helped him get to the core of a thing. If you've ever drawn or painted people and animals from life, as he did, it increases the appreciation for his work one hundred fold. I also think that this is why his paintings and sketches are so full of life - you just don't get that from a photo, there is NO comparison. His landscapes blow me away every time, and I'm not really a fan of landscape paintings. Something about the solitude of it all just takes me in.

My favourite is Night Sleeper, which is on the cover. His palette is just beautiful, i don't really think it's muted or drab - the closer you look, the more colours you see. How he played colours in juxtaposition, so that they glow, is another part that gives his work such intensity and life.

The comments beside all the work are, as people have mentioned, very good. The entire book is one of those slow joy books. It's just nice to sit with it and turn the pages slowly and take in every thing.

American Legend.......2002-09-30

I especially appreciate the format of ANDREW WYETH. Examples of Wyeth's work are arranged chronologically throughout the book accompanied by comments in a conversational style by the artist about each individual painting. Much of the commentary is about those special places which the artist loves in both Pennsylvania and Maine as well as about his friends, neighbors and members of the Wyeth clan. The separate chronologies of Wyeth's personal life and his exhibitions are extremely helpful. I recommend this book to admirers of the artist and also to those who are just becoming acquainted with Wyeth. He is truly an American legend.

A biography in pictures.......2001-05-23

This is a book that will give any Wyeth fan pleasure. When I finally got a copy, it was wish fullfillment. To see 138 of the artist's works with his own comments is a great pleasure. And some of the comments are quite provocative! The prints are top quality and follow the artist's career chronologically. The book also includes a personal chronology of Andrew Wyeth's life, as well as exibitions and a bibliography for those who want to know more. Definitely a keeper!

An American Vision: Three Generations of Wyeth Art: N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, James Wyeth

Average customer rating:

Awesome

An American Vision: Three Generations of Wyeth Art: N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, James Wyeth
et al., James H. Duff
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2006-04-26

This is a fascinating book - about all three artists and also a study of artistic ability and creativity running through the family. I bought it years after enjoying the exhibition and have also given it to other art lovers. What the artists have to say about each other is interesting and the reproductions are beautiful. Don't miss this - it will only enhance your appreciation every time you encounter a Wyeth!

The Wondrous Strange: The Wyeth Tradition

Average customer rating:

An Important Overview of a Century of Americana
amazing
For the non-art initiated, the book is a feast for the imagl
Helps keep the original images fresh
Truly captures the essence of Wyeth!

The Wondrous Strange: The Wyeth Tradition
N.C. Wyeth , Andrew Wyeth , Jamie Wyeth , Howard Pyle , and Theodor Stephen Bruni
Manufacturer: Bulfinch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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N. C. Wyeth: A Biography
An American Vision: Three Generations of Wyeth Art: N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, James Wyeth
Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic
Andrew Wyeth: Autobiography
Pirates, Patriots, and Princesses: The Art of Howard Pyle (Dover Books on Fine Art)

ASIN: 0821225375

Amazon.com

Demonic eyes shining out of a shadowy tree. A blind man staggering through a moonlit landscape. Disembodied, dark hands rising out of snow. A feral dog with one blue eye. Ambiguous shadows harboring human shapes. These are but a few of the eerie images in this mesmerizing, wondrous book. There are four artists represented here: three generations of Wyeth men--N.C., Andrew, and James--and Howard Pyle, artistically speaking the father of them all. An essay on each artist precedes a generous selection of stunning, full-size, color plates of his work; the essay on Andrew is written by his wife, Betsy. It is Betsy who originally conceived of the exhibition that led to the book. David Michaelis, author of a new biography of N.C., writes, "The intensity of her relationship with all three Wyeths makes her the true linking figure in what has too often been simplified as a male succession."

The simple chronological ordering of the book, from Pyle to his student N.C. Wyeth, to N.C.'s son Andrew, to Andrew's son James, turns out to have a peculiar power. The gaudy, tricky, glorious too-muchness of both Pyle and James make illustrational bookends around the more subtly drawn histrionics of N.C. and Andrew. It might come as a surprise to fans of Andrew's uniquely sublime naturalistic gifts that he possesses an uncanny streak of surrealism, which he couches in his otherwise orderly realism. The book as a whole should give hours and hours of pleasure to Pyle and Wyeth fans of all persuasions and generations. --Peggy Moorman

Customer Reviews:

An Important Overview of a Century of Americana.......2002-04-27

For many years it has been the practice of critics and art aficionados to relegate "popular artists" the likes of Norman Rockwell and the Wyeth clan to the bin of kitsch. Time heals and alters and distance is kind as the current resurgence of appreciation of these and other artists of the land testifies. Norman Rockwell now is considered an important American artist, sensitive to basic issues of what makes America the land of the common man's dream. With this beautifully designed and written tome the same adulation should follow for the Wyeth clan. The authors (Betsy Wyeth among them) had the good idea to show the seeds of the very familiar Wyeth imagery in the work of Howard Pyle, an artist known primarily as an illustrator along the lines of over the edge fantasy adventure books. His pupil N.C. Wyeth took up the torch, primarily emulating Pyle's style but taking it to a new level. His works of isolation, thwarted desire, and simple American traditions are absorbed by his son Andrew Wyeth who won favor among collectors of realist art during the time the country was running after Modernism, Expresionism, Abstraction. And finally Jaime Wyeth, son of Andrew, has been a constant presence with his quasi-surreal take on many of the same subjects as his progenitors. The circle comes round with Pyle and Jaime Wyeth embracing the more perverse subjects - an interesting century wheel turning round and round.

The color reproductions are generous and well selected. Many of the well know Wyeth images are excluded, but in their place we are treated to images we have never seen. This is a beautiful volume and a tender one, a memento of what our childhood in the 20th Century was like before the madness currently painted hit.

amazing.......2001-06-21

The images floor me. If a picture is worth a thousand words.... then this collection speaks incalculable volumes.

For the non-art initiated, the book is a feast for the imagl.......1999-10-14

For the non-art initiated, the book is a feast for the imagination as well as the eyes. I bought the book because I come from the mid-coast of Maine, like the Wyeths. But when I took the time to look at the book on a night we lost power due to a snow storm, I found the views conjured stories up in my mind to match the Wondrously Strange images. I've driven by the Wyeth Center a thousand times, but made a point to visit to see for my self. I'm also fortunate to have a copy signed by Jamie Wyeth, and hope to keep as a treasure for a long time.

Helps keep the original images fresh.......1998-10-23

We saw the exhibit in September and I bought the book as a reminder of the awe and joy I felt looking at the originals. The book lives up to the exhibit. A feast for the eyes, the book captures well the power and talent of Pyle and the Wyeths.

Truly captures the essence of Wyeth!.......1998-09-06

This book is a collection of the paintings included in an exhibit which will be at the Delaware Art Museum in December -- works by Howard Pyle, N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, & Jamie Wyeth, chosen particularly because of their "wondrous" and "strange" way of looking at the world. A glossy, colorful, and exciting book featuring the progression of artistic technique from generation to generation! Something of interest for everyone.

Average customer rating:

A great biography
Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life
Could not put this book down, thinking of reading it again now I've finished it...
Answers to My Questoins Found Here
Andrew Wyeth is a dirty old man

Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life
Richard Meryman
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Andrew Wyeth: Autobiography
Andrew Wyeth: Memory & Magic
An American Vision: Three Generations of Wyeth Art: N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, James Wyeth
Andrew Wyeth: The Helga Pictures
N. C. Wyeth: A Biography

ASIN: 0060171138

Amazon.com

Andrew Wyeth's achievement is unmatched by other modern American realist painters: he produced canvasses that became American icons, deepening our sense of the possibilities of representational painting in an abstract age. This biography, produced by family friend Richard Meryman, who first wrote about Wyeth for Life magazine in 1964, takes in not only Andrew Wyeth's life but three generations of Wyeths: the peerless illustrator N. C. Wyeth, Andrew's father; Andrew Wyeth; and Jamie, Andrew's son and a successful realist painter in his own right. The "Secret Life" of the title refers in part, of course, to the "Helga" paintings, sketches, drawings, and portraits (many of them in the nude) of Wyeth's neighbor, later his companion and assistant, Helga Testorf. The revelation of the "Helga" series gave the married Wyeth's life, at almost 70, a final dose of drama. This new biography, besides delving deeply into Wyeth's personal life, includes long discussions of almost every Wyeth canvas.

Book Description

"A revelation. No one will ever view Andrew Wyeth's apparently tranquil works the same way again after reading this vivid and astonishing portrait of the turbulent, driven man who paints them. Richard Meryman has written a wonderful book."
-- Geoffrey C. Ward

At its most fundamental level, this stunning and unique biography describes a distinguished painter's enterprise of transmitting emotion onto a flat surface. It explores all the factors that have combined to create Andrew Wyeth -- his childhood in a hothouse of creativity; his hypersensitivity; his formidable wife; his identification with people marginalized and misunderstood -- all which have made him an American icon. In the process, his realist works in watercolor and tempera, including the famous "Christina's World," have gained him a special and secure niche in the history of American art.

The book is a portrait of obsession -- how single-mindedness has affected Wyeth's relationships and transformed his world into a realm of secrecy and fervid imagination. Those who read this book will never look at Wyeth's work as they did before. It reveals the artist's dark depths, as well as the ruthless, angry, child/man fantasist who paints the basic brutalities of existence -- death and madness --that vibrate eerily beneath his pictures' calm surfaces.

Richard Meryman's narrative is almost novelistic, with its larger-than-life characters and subplots: the tragedy of C.C. Wyeth; Betsy Wyeth's campaign for independence and individuality; the byzantine 15-year-long drama of the Helga paintings; the eccentric and creative Wyeth clan; and the idiosyncratic land and people of Maine and Pennsylvania.

Based on 30 years of research, frequent visits and countless conversations with the artist, his family, friends, admirers and critics, Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life is the only book about the man and the artist that gets behind his carefully guarded screen, tells the full story of his life and reveals his complex personality and the motivations for his paintings.

Customer Reviews:

A great biography.......2007-01-13

This was a very interesting biography on Andrew Wyeth. I feel this book gave me insight into the artist himself, his wife Betsy and the Wyeth family. This book made me feel familiar with Karl Kuerner, Karl's farm, Christina Olson, Ben Loper and many others which added so much to how I look at the paintings. I feel I see the paintings in a whole different way. I liked the fact that Andrew Wyeth painted his close friends, everyday people and those that we can relate to in our personal lives. I loved the book and am now half way through reading it again.

Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life.......2007-01-11

condition fine. Take some of the statements with a grain of salt.
Not always facctual

Could not put this book down, thinking of reading it again now I've finished it..........2005-10-20

I have recently been studying [privately - I am a painter, not a student] the work of Andrew Wyeth, and so was pleased when I came across this biography of his life. I found it a totally absorbing read, and read the whole [it is long] book cover to cover, which even Rothko's biography failed me on, and I am a great fan of his. Reading a negative review above - Andrew Wyeth is not a dirty old man, and please don't let that reviewer put you off. As an artist, struggling daily with the development of my craft, I found this book riveting. It explained a lot to me about myself [and I am neither old, dirty, nor a man!] and my life as an artist, and my partner's role in that life. The descriptions of Wyeth working, his methods, his relationships with his models [few of which were ever nude, or female], all people he knew, in depth, and loved, in depth. This is a warts and all biography, a thorough and fascinating read. So fascinating, that I feel sorry to have just finished the last page earlier today, and having to return my library copy of the book, I am visiting Amazon to purchase my own copy for my collection. Buy it, borrow it, beg it, read it, even an abstract painter will learn from reading this book. It is about an artist's relationship with his world.

Answers to My Questoins Found Here.......2005-04-21

In a museum about two hours driving from where I live, there was an "Andrew Wyeth Show" where many of his work were shown. I am writing this several days after I saw the show.

To me, the "mystery" was his paintings. Why do they look like more than mere images? Why other realism painting don't catch my attention like those of Wyeth's? His skills as a painter is without a doubt a perfection, but that's not it. What, then, does make his work special?

That was all I wanted to know, and reading Chapters 1 and 2 were enough for me to draw my own conclusion. I found some important keywords that I don't list here because important keywords differ from person to person. I am sure if you read this book with a mission you can find some keywords that helps you - as a painter.

I think that each chapter should have had a name instead of just chapter 2, chapter 3, and so forth because not everybody has time to read this thick book and not everybody is interested in knowing the every detail of the painter. Some chapter had less importance to me, although I am sure they may be important to other people. They were description of his family members and people who had something to do with the painter, but I find them too detail for my purpose of reading.

I think this book can be compressed and will still be as good as it is if compressed wisely. It is too bad that a reader has to read the whole book to see what is written in each chapter. If I was a writer I would have had a chapter for Christina Olson, a chapter for Wyeth as a young person, a chapter for his inspiration, a chapter for the influence from his family especially his father, and so on. That way it is easier to read and go back to where you want to go back to find something that captured your attention. I had to flip pages after pages because the book is not organized.

Andrew Wyeth is a dirty old man.......2003-06-21

After I read the other 5 reviews I wondered if we had read the same book! In this much too revealing biography, Andrew Wyeth comes across as a man with some very real problems. How so? How would you feel about a neighbor of yours in his 70s who would shed all his clothes and drive around naked on a motorcycle at night? How would you feel about the same man streaking with a niece through a boring party? How would you feel about a man who secretly painted a voluptuous blonde model in the nude for 15 years secretly and hid it from his wife? The list could go and on. What readers have to realize as I have is that tremendously gifted men and women can be brilliant at their gifts of genius and yet fall flat on their faces as decent human beings. There is no doubt that Andrew Wyeth is a genius. There are few who can capture the feeling of loneliness, country, the inner soul of his models with such sensitivity and yet can turn into a leering dirty old man, have a mouth that spews forth utter filth and his people skills are of the lowest caliber. Once some people went to see the artist to commission him to paint something for them and by the end of the visit decided against it because of the way he came across.

I recommend Wyeth's early studies from the 50's to the late 60's as examples of egg tempera painting at its highest level but as far as any young artists emulating his life and mannersisms, they should be warned. There have been artists who have been shining examples by their lives- Durer, Rembrandt, Cole and Church come to mind- men who were passionate about their work and living on the highest levels of morality and goodness. An artist does not have to be a flaming reprobate to be a success.

Wyeth sees very little that is not jaundiced in life. I was disappointed in the extreme at some of the things that were written in this book. It really caused me to reevaluate my respect for the man. I would not want to know him personally and now I find it difficult to stomach some of his images knowing what he really thinks abaut them. The whole family needs to sober up and walk more circumspectly. If you decide to read this book, you were warned. It is a depressing experience at best. I recommned the Life of John Adams by David McCullough instead!

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