The Studio

In the present work, Andrew Wyeth's mastery of the watercolor medium dramatically captures the passing light over the white-washed shutters of the artist's studio in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. The stark white is brilliantly contrasted against the rich greens and browns of the woods located beyond the studio, providing the picture with a sense of depth and weight. With an economy of paint, the shapes of the shadows and structure achieve a balance of form and a distinct textural quality. Wyeth then builds up thick layers of umber and green to create a dense forest, evocative and moody in its richness of surface. Characteristic of his approach to watercolor, The Studio demonstrates the freedom with which Wyeth approached his subjects in this medium and his concern with capturing emotion in his scenes. "Technique, he once said, 'is not what interests me. To me, it is simply the question of whether or not I can find the thing that expresses the way I feel at a particular time...'" (B. Venn, Unknown Terrain: The Landscapes of Andrew Wyeth, exhibition catalogue, New York, 1998, p. 40)


This watercolor will be included in Betsy James Wyeth's forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the artist's works.