Illustrations by N.C. Wyeth: So much more than a fairytale

N.C. Wyeth (1882–1945) is a celebrated American illustrator from the first half of the 20th century. His dramatic illustrations of classic adventure stories like Robin Hood, Treasure Island, and The Last of the Mohicans have won the hearts of generations. 

Throughout his life, though, Wyeth longed to be known as more than a mere illustrator. He felt illustration was a lesser art form. But when we look at the lasting impact of his countless works, we cannot help but remember Wyeth as one of America’s greats who brought to life some of our culture’s most cherished stories.

Illustration: An overlooked art form

There is no doubt that illustration is its own unique category of art. Unlike a stand-alone painting that tells its whole story in one moment, an illustrator is tasked with capturing the movement of the plot, the development of the characters, and the reader’s imagination. They also play a sort of second string to the author; their role is to enhance the richness of the written word. Illustrators are our guides into a deeper experience of the story. 

N.C. Wyeth, who created over 3,000 illustrations during his life, is a prime example of the power of illustration. His work for The Boy’s King Arthur (1880) offers perhaps the quintessential insight into his capacity to capture the eternal story written on the human heart.

Bringing heroes to life

In the following two illustrations from The Boy’s King Arthur, Wyeth captures the human experience’s breadth of strength and frailty. In them, he gives tenderness and conquest, heroism, and chivalry equal footing. Wyeth excels at depicting the archetypal hero—the true knight who is ready for battle for the love of the fair maiden. Wyeth’s typical hero confronts a quest that demands not only what he can do, but also all of who he is.

“‘Oh, gentle knight’ said la Belle Isolde ‘full woe am I of thy departing’”

In this depiction of Tristan and Isolde, the ill-fated lovers, Wyeth captures the tender moment between the lovers without imposing upon it their inevitable destiny. By snapshotting one moment of the plot, Wyeth walks with readers, inviting them to enter more deeply into each moment of the story. Although Tristan may not be a hero on the same level as King Arthur, he is still depicted with honor and devotion in this meticulously detailed illustration. From the warm glow exuding from the castle window to the bold shadow that divides the picture in two, the star-crossed lovers are placed against a backdrop that ever so subtly indicates the moral tension of their choices.

In contrast, this lively battle scene puts strength and drama on full display. Wyeth chooses to draw the reader’s attention to the action-packed moment when Sir Mador’s spear is shattered in the midst of battle. So many things are transpiring at the same moment—the reader can hear the horses’ shrieks and smell the stale, upturned dust. Wyeth makes the splintering wood and clanging metal palpable. He gives the knights equally strong physiques, but there is somehow no doubt that good will prevail over evil.

Art: An invitation to truth

Wyeth’s visual invitation to go deeper into the land of medieval chivalry brings us back to a time with a deeply symbolic understanding. Reality was always more than it seemed. Virtue and destiny richly charged the life of a heroic knight. 

As we contemplate these illustrations, and hear the age-old tales retold over and over, we train our minds’ eyes to see more than we might initially think is there. Not every story illustrated by Wyeth is overtly a knight on a quest, but perhaps somewhere amid the hauntingly familiar classics and Wyeth’s aesthetically alluring illustrations our imagination might catch fire. 

After all, what is our own life other than one dramatic quest for God?