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Lot 146
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Andrew Wyeth Original Drawing of Antique Carriage
Andrew Wyeth Original Drawing of Antique Carriage
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Description:

Andrew Wyeth
[Chadds Ford, PA], [April 11, 1991]
Andrew Wyeth Original Drawing of Antique Carriage
Original drawing
An original pencil drawing by American artist Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) depicting an antique carriage, its two rows peopled by a top hat-wearing driver and passengers, and a horn-playing servant in the rumble seat. A single cropped horse appears to be leaping off the page. [April 11, 1991.] [Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.] On typing paper, with the drawing measuring 7" x 5.25" alone (including the horizon line and the clouds at top.) "4/11/91" is inscribed in a different hand in the upper right corner. Expected light surface wear including a tiny notch to the left margin, else near fine. 8.5" x 11." Provenance: From the personal collection of George & Helen Sipala. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity dated November 2, 2020 originally signed by Helen Sipala.

Wyeth gifted this charming drawing to George & Helen Sipala, his neighbors. In previous artwork, Wyeth had depicted many types of conveyances, including enclosed carriages, open farm wagons, colonial-era coaches, and even a hearse. Wyeth may have been sketching this crowded antique carriage from life. His close friend George A. "Frolic" Weymouth (1936-2016), who had established the Brandywine River Museum of Art in 1971, was also a club-associated, prize-winning driver of four-in-hand antique carriages. Weymouth participated in local horse-racing, including the Point-to-Point Races located in nearby Winterthur, Delaware.

George & Helen Sipala lived at Painter's Folly, near Route 1 (or Baltimore Pike) in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania from 1974 until 2018. Painter's Folly was an Italianate style residence built in 1857. Around the turn of the twentieth century, Painter's Folly had served as Howard Pyle's summer art colony, during which time Wyeth's father had studied there.

In her letter of authenticity, Helen Sipala states that Andrew Wyeth's first visit to Painter's Folly occurred on March 1, 1989, after Wyeth had rambled onto the property to study a pair of mermaid statues. Wyeth's home and studio was located about 1.5 miles to the southwest of Painter's Folly. The artist was cordially received and granted full access to the house, roofline, and property. Wyeth visited regularly, sometimes almost daily, over the next 20 years until his death in 2009. Painter's Folly is depicted in Wyeth's work of the same name, from 1989 (see picture included for reference). In the end, about half a dozen Wyeth works feature either Painter's Folly or the Sipalas.

Helen wrote in part:

"When we weren't home, he [Andy] would leave us a written note on the kitchen table to let us know of his visit. At first it was any little piece of paper he could find until we realized that a pad was necessary. As you will see, the notes pertained to what he was working on, the time of the day, and with a personal sketch or two.

The notes were signed with various comical notations or signatures. Robin Hood, The Snowman, The man on the roof, Old Bones, The Spirit, etc. were just a few. Sketches might explain what he was working on or just silly thoughts in his head…Little did he know, that these simple drawings and letters would become a real part of our lives, and, hopefully, a real part of Andy's legacy…"

Wyeth and the Sipalas also socialized together in Chadds Ford, Maine, and elsewhere, and Helen Sipala also occasionally posed for him. Helen Sipala relied on recollections, diary entries, and the voluminous collection of ephemera that Andy left behind on his visits to compose her memoir, "Beyond the Marriage Bed: My Years as Friend, Model and Confidante of Andrew Wyeth" (Berkeley, California: Regent Press, 2021), edited by Bruce E. Mowbray. In 2018, Painter's Folly was purchased by Chadds Ford as part of its Historic and Open Space inventory initiatives.

Andrew Wyeth was the youngest child of nationally acclaimed illustrator N.C. Wyeth. Andrew became known for his spare, stark, monochrome depictions of nature and rural American life. His moving work "Christina's World" (1948), showing his physically disabled neighbor Christina Olson stretched out in a field, is emblematic of Wyeth's style and tone. He typically sketched in pencil or watercolor, and his finished large-scale artwork was accomplished in either watercolor, drybrush watercolor, or egg tempera.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
  • Medium: Original drawing

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