N.C. Wyeth was one of the most important American illustrators and painters of the early 20th century. Many of Wyeth's illustrations are of pirates and piracy. In fact, one of his most famous works is his series of illustrations for Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate tale, Treasure Island.
This painting, "The Duel on the Beach," does not illustrate a scene from Treasure Island. Its subject matter is purely imaginative. Carl Fisher, an American entrepreneur who made his fortune in the automobile and real-estate industries, commissioned Wyeth to paint a pirate-themed work of art in the early 1920s, and "The Duel on the Beach" is the result.
At least two of Wyeth and Fisher's friends appear in the painting, between the dueling pirates. The man in the yellow hat is James Allison, Fisher's fellow automobile entrepreneur and a co-founder of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The grinning man next to Allison is John Oliver La Gorce, an explorer and editor at the National Geographic Society.
La Gorce's appearance in "The Duel on the Beach" is not the only connection between Wyeth and National Geographic. In 1927, Wyeth completed a series of five enormous murals, "The Romance of Discovery," for the society's library. The murals are still on display at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, DC. Wyeth also ultimately gave La Gorce "The Duel on the Beach", and La Gorce donated it to the society.
- N.C. Wyeth came from an artistic family. His mother, Hattie, knew Henry David Thoreau and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
- Besides Treasure Island, Wyeth illustrated many classic adventure storiesKidnapped, Robinson Crusoe, Robin Hood, The Last of the Mohicans, King Arthur, The Mysterious Island, and The Yearling are just a few.
- N.C. Wyeth was a diverse artist. He is most famous for book and magazine illustrations, but he was also an accomplished painter and muralist, as well as a designer of posters, advertisements, and calendars.
- The Wyeth family includes several important American artists, including N.C. Wyeth's son Andrew Wyeth and Andrew's son Jamie Wyeth.
to formally order or give permission to work.
person who starts and manages a business.
person who studies unknown areas.
place where an organization or project is chiefly located.
person who draws, paints, or designs a visual complement to a piece of writing.
artwork painted directly on a wall.
National Geographic Society
(1888) organization whose mission is "Inspiring people to care about the planet."
(Newell Converse Wyeth, 1882-1945) American painter and illustrator.
thief who steals from ships or ships' crews while at sea.
Robert Louis Stevenson
(1850-1894) Scottish writer and poet.