Brandywine River Museum
Encyclopedia
The Brandywine River Museum is a museum of regional and American art located on U.S. Route 1
in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania on the banks of the Brandywine River. The museum showcases the art of Andrew Wyeth
a major American realist painter, and his family: his father, N.C. Wyeth illustrator of many children’s classics, and his son, Jamie Wyeth
a contemporary American realist painter.
Housed in a converted nineteenth century gristmill
, the museum’s permanent collection features American illustration, still life
works, and landscape painting
by Jasper Francis Cropsey
, Harvey Dunn
, Peter Hurd
, Maxfield Parrish
, Howard Pyle
, William Trost Richards
, and Jessie Willcox Smith
. The glass-wall lobby overlooks Brandywine Creek (Christina River) and rolling countryside that inspired the Brandywine School
earlier in the early 20th century.
The museum also owns and operates tours of two nearby National Historic Landmark
s: the N. C. Wyeth House and Studio
and the Kuerner Farm
, inspiration for nearly 1,000 works of art by Andrew Wyeth from the 1930s until his death in 2009. Outside the museum are beautifully maintained Wildflower and Native Plant Gardens.
The museum was founded in 1971 as part of the Brandywine Conservancy thru the efforts of “Frolic” Weymouth
. He has been on the board since its founding.
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania on the banks of the Brandywine River. The museum showcases the art of Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Newell Wyeth was a visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century....
a major American realist painter, and his family: his father, N.C. Wyeth illustrator of many children’s classics, and his son, Jamie Wyeth
Jamie Wyeth
James Browning Wyeth is a contemporary American realist painter. He was raised in Chadds Ford Township, Pennsylvania, son of Andrew Wyeth and grandson of N.C. Wyeth...
a contemporary American realist painter.
Housed in a converted nineteenth century gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
, the museum’s permanent collection features American illustration, still life
Still life
A still life is a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which may be either natural or man-made...
works, and landscape painting
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
by Jasper Francis Cropsey
Jasper Francis Cropsey
Jasper Francis Cropsey was an important American landscape artist of the Hudson River School.-Biography:Cropsey was born on his father Jacob Rezeau Cropsey's farm in Rossville on Staten Island, New York, the oldest of eight children. As a young boy, Cropsey had recurring periods of poor health....
, Harvey Dunn
Harvey Dunn
Harvey Thomas Dunn was an American painter. He is best known for his prairie-intimate masterpiece, The Prairie is My Garden. In this painting, a mother and her son and daughter are out gathering flowers from the quintessential prairie of the Great Plains.-Early life:Dunn was born on a homestead...
, Peter Hurd
Peter Hurd
Peter Hurd was an American artist, born Harold Hurd, Jr., in Roswell, New Mexico.Nicknamed "Pete" by his parents, he later legally changed his name to Peter.-Life:...
, Maxfield Parrish
Maxfield Parrish
Maxfield Parrish was an American painter and illustrator active in the first half of the twentieth century. He is known for his distinctive saturated hues and idealized neo-classical imagery.-Life:...
, Howard Pyle
Howard Pyle
Howard Pyle was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy.__FORCETOC__...
, William Trost Richards
William Trost Richards
William Trost Richards was an American landscape artist associated with both the Hudson River School and the American Pre-Raphaelite movement.-Biography:...
, and Jessie Willcox Smith
Jessie Willcox Smith
Jessie Willcox Smith was a United States illustrator famous for her work in magazines such as Ladies Home Journal and for her illustrations for children's books....
. The glass-wall lobby overlooks Brandywine Creek (Christina River) and rolling countryside that inspired the Brandywine School
Brandywine School
The Brandywine School was a style of illustration and an artists colony in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, near Brandywine Creek, founded by artist Howard Pyle at the end of the 19th century...
earlier in the early 20th century.
The museum also owns and operates tours of two nearby National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
s: the N. C. Wyeth House and Studio
N. C. Wyeth House and Studio
The N. C. Wyeth House and Studio was a home of painter N. C. Wyeth in Chadds Ford Township, Pennsylvania.After N. C. Wyeth died, Mrs. Wyeth lived in the house until 1973, then their daughter, Carolyn Wyeth, lived there and painted in the studio until her death in 1994, when the Brandywine River...
and the Kuerner Farm
Kuerner Farm
Kuerner Farm, also known as Ring Farm, is a historic farm in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania notable for its association with artist Andrew Wyeth, who created about one-third of his work, over 1,000 paintings and drawings, on subjects he found there over a period of 77 years. The farm was listed in the...
, inspiration for nearly 1,000 works of art by Andrew Wyeth from the 1930s until his death in 2009. Outside the museum are beautifully maintained Wildflower and Native Plant Gardens.
The museum was founded in 1971 as part of the Brandywine Conservancy thru the efforts of “Frolic” Weymouth
George Alexis Weymouth
George Alexis Weymouth, known better as “Frolic” Weymouth, is an American artist, whip or stager, and conservationist. He lives in and protects the Brandywine Valley.-Heredity and name:...
. He has been on the board since its founding.