plate no. 5465
Wind from the Sea
Andrew Wyeth, 1947
From the record
- Dimensions
- 47 cm high × 70 cm wide
- Inception
- 1947
from the sources
The painting depicts an open attic window with thin, tattered curtains blown into the room by the wind. en.wikipedia.org
“It depicts an inside view of an open attic window as the wind blows the thin and tattered curtains into the room.”
The painting is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. en.wikipedia.org
“The painting is housed at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., it is on view in the East Building on the Ground Level in Gallery 106C.”
The window was in an abandoned third-floor room of the Maine house belonging to Wyeth's friends Christina and Alvaro Olson. en.wikipedia.org
“The window was located in an abandoned room on the third floor.”
Wyeth was inspired to paint the scene after opening a dormer window to cool the attic and seeing the breeze animate the tattered curtains. en.wikipedia.org
“After opening a dormer window to cool down the attic he was working in, Wyeth was inspired by the way the incoming breeze brought life to the tattered curtains.”
Wyeth made his initial sketch of the window on the same sheet of paper he was using to draw Christina Olson. en.wikipedia.org
“In an attempt to capture the moment, he made a sketch on the same sheet of paper he had been using to draw Olson.”
After the first sketch, Wyeth spent months making studies of the window in various materials. en.wikipedia.org
“Following the initial sketch, Wyeth spent months making studies of the window in various materials.”
Wyeth regarded the painting as a symbolic portrait of Christina Olson, with the window frame, curtains and crocheted birds standing for aspects of her. en.wikipedia.org
“Wyeth considered the painting to be a symbolic portrait of her.”
Clay Bartlett bought the painting from Wyeth in January 1947, and it was sold to Charles Hill Morgan in 1952. en.wikipedia.org
“Clay Bartlett in Manchester, Vermont bought the painting from the artist in January 1947. It was sold to Charles Hill Morgan in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1952.”
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Sketch the basic composition, including the window frame, landscape, and curtain.
- step 02
Establish the dark values of the window frame and the distant trees.
- step 03
Block in the general tones of the sky and the field, paying attention to the light and shadow.
- step 04
Begin layering thin washes of color to build up the details of the landscape.
- step 05
Carefully render the delicate details of the curtain, using fine lines and subtle shading.
- step 06
Add highlights and shadows to create depth and dimension.
- step 07
Refine the details of the window frame and the surrounding environment.
- step 08
Make final adjustments to the overall composition and color balance.
color palette
primary · raw umber · titanium white · ivory black
secondary · yellow ochre · burnt sienna
Achieve the muted tones by mixing raw umber and white. Use small amounts of yellow ochre and burnt sienna to add warmth to the field and curtain.
techniques
- ·glazing
- ·dry brushing
- ·scumbling
- ·layering
- ·linear perspective
common pitfalls
- →Overworking the details of the curtain, losing the sense of transparency.
- →Creating too much contrast, making the painting appear harsh.
- →Failing to establish a strong sense of depth and perspective.
- →Inaccurate proportions in the window frame.
materials
surface · gessoed panel
required
- ·gessoed panel
- ·raw umber tempera paint
- ·titanium white tempera paint
- ·ivory black tempera paint
- ·small round brushes
- ·medium flat brush
- ·palette
- ·water
optional
- ·retarder
- ·palette knife
- ·varnish
Tempera paint dries quickly, so work in small sections and keep your brushes clean. Consider using a retarder to slow the drying time.
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