Chadds Ford illustrator Newell Convers Wyeth, also known as N.C. Wyeth, was one of the superstars of the Golden Age of illustration, writes Sara Barnes for My Modern Met. 

The American painter created more than 4,000 images and contributed illustrations to over 100 books. 

Wyeth’s realistically rendered pictures brought to life many classic tales, such as Treasure Island, The Last of the Mohicans, and Robinson Crusoe. He also painted illustrations for several marketing campaigns, like Coca-Cola and Kellogg’s Foods. 

Wyeth, who was born in 1882 and studied with Howard Pyle, one of the most famous illustrators of the 19th century, also had a thriving studio practice. There, he painted murals and private commissions. Still, it was his illustrations that brought him fame and generated most of the funds. 

He raised five children with Carolyn Brenneman Bockius, including Andrew Wyeth, a renowned painter best known for his work titled Christina’s World.

Wyeth died tragically in 1945 at a railroad crossing in Chadds Ford when his car was hit by an oncoming train. He was 62. 

Today, Wyeth’s home and studio in Chadds Ford can be toured. 

Read more about N.C. Wyeth in My Modern Met. 

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