Wondrous Strange: The Wyeth Tradition

by David Michaelis (Foreword), Susan C. Larsen (Introduction), Stephen T. Bruni (Contributor)

This book has been published on the occasion of the exhibit Wondrous Strange:

Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, Maine
June 21 to November 8, 1998

Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, Delaware
December 10, 1998 to February 21, 1999

This exhibition has received generous financial support from MBNA America, DuPont Company, Hercules Incorporated, and Wilmington Trust Company.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Art History

168 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1998

About the author

David Michaelis grew up in Cambridge, Mass. and Washington, D. C., was educated at Concord Academy and Princeton University, and is the author of the national bestsellers N. C. WYETH: A Biography (Alfred A. Knopf, 1998; available from Harper Perennial), which won the 1999 Ambassador Book Award for Biography, given by the English-Speaking Union of the United States, and SCHULZ AND PEANUTS: A Biography (Harper, 2007; Harper Perennial), a National Book Critics Circle Best Recommended Book, among other honors. He lives in New York City and Tenants Harbor, Maine, with his wife the documentary film producer Nancy Steiner, and their family.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know a lot about the American realist tradition in art, but I've had this book in my collection since the exhibit in 1998. Although I've paged through the illustrations many times, I only sat down to read it cover to cover this week, after a visit to the Brandywine Museum (and the year before last, the Farnsworth in Maine; these two museums house the largest collections of Wyeth art). The introductions to each author's section illuminate a lot about the work, life and times of Howard Pyle and the Wyeths and show the connections that link them, one to another. The art, of course, is gorgeous, and much of it evokes the landscape and history of the United States, although much is also fantastical and "wondrous strange," particularly the work of Andrew and Jamie Wyeth.

Horatio: "O day and night, but this is wondrous strange."
Hamlet: "And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning, powerful, evocative art from three generations of the Wyeth family, as well as turn-of-the-century illustrator, Howard Pyle, assembled by Andrew Wyeth's wife Betsy, beginning with Howard Pyle and proceeding chronologically. A short essay precedes selections from each artist's body of work.

[Mike Violano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wondrous Strange: The Wyeth Tradition spans more than a century of outstanding art by four gifted masters from the Brandywine Valley—N.C., Andrew and Jamie Wyeth and N.C.’s teacher the renowned artist illustrator Howard Pyle. Conceived by Betsy James Wyeth, Andrew’s wife, the collection contains 30 works by each artist and essays introducing their works. There are many rarely seen works from private collections and the Wyeth family that will delight readers new to the artists as well as devoted followers. Howard Pyle’s illustrations for short stories in Harpers Monthly and other magazines added action, drama and compelling realism to the written word. In the early 20th century N.C. Wyeth’s incredible art colorfully embellished and enriched the works of Scribner Classics including Treasure Island, Kidnapped, The Black Arrow and others. Andrew Wyeth brought the Brandywine Valley landscape and people to vivid life in emotion filled watercolors. Jamie Wyeth produced great portraits of animals and people as well as fantastic images from his imagination. There is much to enjoy and discover in the collection although Andrew’s masterpieces like Christina’s World and Wind from the Sea are sadly absent as are Jamie’s outstanding portraits of JFK and Andy Warhol and his favorite animal subject pig. Well worth viewing especially by those familiar with any or all of these American artists.

[Elizabeth Gajdosik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Howard Pyle and N.C. Wyeth are two of my absolute favorites artists. I only wish whoever collected the artwork for this book had selected more of the bright and cheerful paintings and not so much of the moody and, sometimes, eerie portraits...

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful collection by four American realist painters, each teaching and influencing the next generation. The stories told in these works are breathtaking.

[Sissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The images are wonderful, the essays are useless.

[Lillyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

had no idea howard pyle's art went so hard omfg

[Tami Traylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was inspired to read this book by a presentation on Light and Shadow given by illustrator, Brian Lies. Of his many examples, he brought out some of the amazing storytelling skills of the masters, like Pyle and the Wyeths. I wanted to know more, so I decided to revisit the work of these artists. It has been a long time since Art School, after all and it never hurts to re-acquaint oneself with great works.

This book has a reasonably digestible amount of back story of the four artists covered, N.C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, Andrew Wyeth and James Wyeth.
They are, indeed, pillars of American Illustration. The four together in one book are simply breathtaking in their scope of inspiration and skill as masters of their respective eras.

[Audrey Babkirk Wellons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating intro to the work of the Wyeths (N.C., Andrew, and Jamie) and N.C.'s mentor, Howard Pyle. All four have a penchant for the weird or fantastic, and that's what this book showcases, to great effect.

[Gwyndolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

reminds me of my childhood... but i don't know why

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

[Lavinia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love his art work! He inspires me in his fantastic work!