The Wyeth Legacy

N.C. Wyeths Studio                                           Photograph by Carlos Alejandro

In 1911, with the proceeds from his illustrations for Treasure Island, the artist N.C. Wyeth purchased 18 acres of land near the village of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. He described it as “the most glorious sight in the township.”

Wyeth built his home and studio on a hill overlooking the valley—setting down roots which have nourished a family of extraordinary creativity for more than a century.

Today, the house and studio retain much of their original character. The main studio, with its spectacular Palladian-style north window, still contains many of the props that were essential to the work of an illustrator, including a birch-bark canoe hanging from the rafters and a collection of firearms. A full-size mural painting, displayed in a soaring 1923 addition, helps tell the story of Wyeth’s career. The house, with its country furnishings, reveals a more intimate picture of family life.

The N.C. Wyeth House and Studio is a National Historic Landmark and a member of the Historic Artists' Homes and Studios program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Guided tours of the house and studio introduce visitors to the various aspects of Wyeth’s career and to other members of the family, significantly enriching the museum visit. Tours depart from the Brandywine River Museum via shuttle on the schedule listed below.


                                    Andrew Wyeths Studio                                         Photograph by Carlos Alejandro

Andrew Wyeth, one of America’s best-known twentieth-century artists, painted many of his most important works of art in his Chadds Ford studio. Given to the Brandywine River Museum of Art by the artist’s wife, Betsy James Wyeth, the studio provides visitors with a unique opportunity to experience this very personal space. The artist’s son, Jamie Wyeth, said: “The world of Andrew Wyeth is best understood by a visit to his studio.”

This studio served as the artist’s principal Pennsylvania work place from 1940 to 2008. Thousands of paintings and drawings were created there, inspired by the people, architecture and landscapes of Chadds Ford. The studio still houses the furnishings, library and collections acquired by the artist, as well as examples of the art materials he used throughout his career.The Andrew Wyeth Studio is a National Historic Landmark and a member site of the Historic Artists' Homes and Studios program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.


Guided tours of the Andrew Wyeth Studio introduce visitors to all aspects of his career, enhancing the Museum’s gallery experience. Tours depart from the Museum via shuttle on the schedule listed below.


Kuerner’s Farm                                         Photograph by Carlos Alejandro

Wyeth discovered Karl and Anna Kuerner’s farm on one of his boyhood walks. The Kuerners, German immigrants who settled in Chadds Ford after World War I, fascinated the artist. Over time, he developed a complex relationship with the family and the farmscape, aspects of which he explored in many of his best-known works of art.

The Brandywine River Museum of Art acquired the Kuerner Farm in 1999. Located ten minutes from the Museum, the Kuerner house (now unfurnished) and farm evoke a remarkable artistic legacy.

Referencing reproductions of the artist’s work, docent-led tours to the Kuerner Farm provide an in-depth study of the major paintings in Wyeth’s oeuvre that depict Kuerner farm subjects, contrasting the artist’s compositions with actual sites on the property. The tour includes the farm house and barn, and significantly expands a visitor’s understanding of Andrew Wyeth’s creative process. Tours depart from the Museum via shuttle on the schedule listed below.

The Kuerner Farm is a National Historic Landmark.


Tours

Tours take place daily April 1–November 20, 2016 and last approximately one hour. Children under age six are not permitted on the tours.

Monday: 10 and 11:15 a.m.
Thursday: 10 and 11:15 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10 and 11:15 a.m. & 12:45, 2 and 3:15 p.m.

Tickets

Tickets cost $8 per person in addition to regular museum admission, free to members of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art. Cost to tour additional properties is $5 per person for each site.

For more information, call 610.388.2700, or visit www.brandywine.org