N.C. Wyeth, ‘Frontier Trapper,’ 1920, Oil on canvas, © 2023 National Museum of American Illustration, Newport, RI, and the American Illustrators Gallery, New York, NY
At the height of the “Golden Age of American Illustration,” N.C. Wyeth’s vivid illustrations of cowboys, Native Americans, pirates, and knights captivated the imaginations of American readers in the early twentieth century. Despite his prolific career as a commercial illustrator, however, Wyeth strived to be recognized as a fine artist. Until his tragic death in 1945, Wyeth continued to accept commissions for advertisements, magazine covers, and story illustrations while privately experimenting with different painting styles in an attempt to carve out his path as a painter.
In this special event lecture, join Dr. Roy Kerr as he traces out Wyeth’s career against the backdrop of the development of American illustration. Learn about the rise of illustration as a popular visual medium after the Civil War and the talented artists, like Frederick Remington and Howard Pyle who had a lasting impact on Wyeth’s approach to rendering fantastic scenes of American life.
Roy Kerr received his Ph.D. in Spanish Language and Hispanic Literatures from Penn State, and spent most of his academic career at Rollins College. At Rollins he Chaired the Foreign Language Department, founded and directed the Hispanic Studies Program, and held the Alexander Weddell Endowed Chair as “Professor of the Americas.”