This collection of essays, edited by Wanda Corn, covers a lot of territory. It includes background material, including a lengthy section on his painstaking technique, and an interview. That's not why I came. I first saw his Helga pictures, none of which are presented here., but they were enough to get me hooked.
The selection of works appeals to both the enthusiast and the novice. For the latter, there's the sentimental "Faraway" (p.82), baffling "Chambered Nautilus" (p.87), and familiar "Christina's World" (p.39). Those are enough to entice a reader into spending time on pieces no less beautiful(p.37), even if the beauty is less apparent to the first, and maybe second and third examination.
Having seen the work, I have to ask how it was made. That's at least as remarkable, since Wyeth tended towards demanding media. A lot of his work is watercolor, one of the less forgiving media. Then, within watercolor, a lot of his work is done with dry brush techniquue, which is even more unforgiving. It is, however, the technique that Beatrice Potter used in her photo-realistic scientific studies and children's books. The most impressive, however, is the body of work done in egg tempera. I've never worked in that medium, and probably never will. It demands even more of the artist, since the paint is essentially made in the moment that it's used, and makes every flaw irreparable. In compensation, though, it offers good permanence, more chance for overpainting, and the highest potential for precision. I can barely imagine the technical skill and singled-minded devotion that Wyeth applied to some of these pieces.
I promised something for the serious student, though, and samples pervade this book. I got the most out of seeing his sketches next to the finished pieces. Others, though, might prefer the photos of scenes he had painted, or the biographical notes, or the scholarship of the writers. The profuse examples of Wyeth's work, however, mean that it can't become dry. I recommend this to anyone who like's Andrew Wyeth's work, or could learn to - and that's just about everyone.
//wiredweird