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Sea Anchor print (1977) from an original dry brush watercolor on paper (1971) by Andrew Wyeth (American, 1917 - 2009)

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Sea Anchor is a print (1977) of an original dry brush watercolor on paper (1971) by Andrew Wyeth
The scene depicts a massive anchor on the lawn of a white house with trees in Maine
By placing the enormous sea anchor and chain in the foreground of “Sea Anchor”, the artist symbolizes man’s link with the land while at sea. At the same time, the abandoned anchor used long ago represents the transition between the age of great vessels and our present era of mechanized shipping. The prominent wizened and twisted trees have borne the brunt of many a storm from the northern sea. In the background is the house of a ship’s captain, built from the proceeds of global wanderings and struggles to master the sea. It is a large house, but simple and sturdy in design. As with his other watercolors, Andrew Wyeth painted Sea Anchor with boldness and conviction; the artist knows the people of Maine, their backgrounds, and their environment. The career of the nineteenth century sea captain and his exploits have long faded from prominence; only his white clapboard house and rusting anchor remain to represent him. (Excerpt from Exhibition Catalog: Howard Pyle and the Wyeths: Four Generations of American Imagination, by Hyland Douglas, Published in conjunction with the exhibition held at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1983)

Condition (Please see grading guide below)

Overall: Very Good
Content: Excellent
Frame: Very Good (Some dents, dings, scuffs and scratches; dust cover intact; hanging hardware attached and ready to hang)

Artist Bio

Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) is recognized as one of the most important American artists of the twentieth century. For more than seven decades he painted the regions of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, where he was born, and mid-coast Maine, where he spent most of his summer months.
Wyeth was the youngest of five children of N.C. Wyeth. At age fifteen he began several years of intensive artistic training under his father, who encouraged Andrew to work as both an illustrator and painter. His career as a watercolorist was launched in 1937, when the artist’s first one-man show at Macbeth Gallery in New York drew critical acclaim.
In addition to achievements in watercolor, Andrew Wyeth became a master of egg tempera, a medium introduced to him in 1936 by his brother-in-law, artist Peter Hurd. Egg tempera is an ancient painting method that blends dry pigments with egg yolk and distilled water. In contrast to the spontaneity and translucency of watercolor, tempera is a time-consuming process of mixing and painting in layers that yields opaque, lustrous color and richly varied surfaces.
Wyeth was an astute observer who once noted that meaning “is hiding behind the mask of truth” in his work. He freely manipulated his subjects, transforming them in order to evoke memories, ideas, and emotions. Through a process of reduction and selection, he created mysterious undercurrents in his landscapes, interiors, and portraits.

References

Brandywine Museum of Art
Exhibition Catalog: Howard Pyle and the Wyeths: Four Generations of American Imagination, by Hyland Douglas, Published in conjunction with the exhibition held at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1983

Grading Guide

Notes:

The condition grade is a subjective rating based on the observed objective physical features of the item to the naked eye
The condition grade does not factor in the perceived beauty or aesthetic impact of the content itself
Please view all of the item pictures and video to make your own informed condition decision before purchasing

Scale:

Excellent: No damage or issues barely perceptible from close viewing distance and bright lighting conditions
Very Good: Issues visible from close viewing distance and normal lighting conditions
Good: Issues visible from normal viewing distance and lighting conditions but do NOT significantly detract from the overall look of the work
Fair: Issues that are immediately apparent from normal viewing distance and lighting conditions AND significantly detract from the overall look of the work
Poor: Severe condition issues that require repair and some may be beyond repair

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