The Brandywine Valley in Pennsylvania is home to a number of different amazing things (at least amazing to me, an outsider). One of these is the Brandywine Battlefield, where in 1777 the largest concentration of British and Continental Forces fought in the Battle of the Brandywine in Chadd's Ford.
This is the Gilpin house, built in 1745. The house at the time of the battle was the stone part on the left. Although the Gilpin's had not chosen sides, the house was ransacked by British troops after the battle.
The Ring House, about a quarter of a mile away, was used as the Continental Army headquarters by George Washington. It was burned after the battle.
Chadd's Ford was also the home chosen home of painter (and illustrator) N.C. Wyeth and his son, Andrew Wyeth. They have a lovely museum overlooking the Brandywine River:
The three floor museum has galleries dedicated to Andrew Wyeth (below; he is one of my favorite artists), N.C. Wyeth and grandson Jamie Wyeth, a collection of 19th Century -20th Century Hudson River School and Brandywine School), and revolving exhibits. I, myself, prefer the older to the modern. The museum also maintains the homes of N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, and the Kuerner Farm, where Andrew Wyeth painted many of his pictures (all, sadly, closed on that day).
I sure do miss the color green. Drought down here, mainly gray and light tan. If I carried a rain poncho, I'd spread it out to capture water but that would be futile.
ReplyDeleteNice photos, thanks for including them for the rest of us to appreciate.
The green was stunning. I, too, forget such colors exist in the Summer.
DeleteLooks like you pretty much have the place to yourselves. Great photos. Thanks, especially, for the pictures of the paintings.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, the tour of the Gilpin house had a number of people there - but largely yes, there were not many of us.
DeleteThere were a number of paintings in the museum that I had never seen by the Wyeth's. I am pretty much a realist non-modernist art person, so it was very enjoyable. Also, fun to see actual original works of arts I had only seen pictures of before. It almost made me want to paint.
Note: To the commenter that made the comment about spending in money in states that had a current or former Resident: please stop. This is a post about my vacation and sharing beautiful places with people. That sort of thing will not be tolerated. Making everything solely about a single subject never convinces anyone.
ReplyDeleteThanks, The Management
When I was a young boy, a great aunt and uncle from California whom I had never met sent my a Wyeth book of paintings. It was not something I understood nor did I ever do more than a cursory flip through it. But for some reason I held onto it and later as an adult when I learned who Andrew Wyeth was, pulled that book back off the shelf and looked through it more thoroughly. I still have it along with my great aunts scrawling personalization to me in the front cover all these years later.
ReplyDeleteEd, I have never really been an art "person", but have come to love Wyeth's work through the late Gene Logsdon. I need to re-read his books now that I seen where he worked.
DeleteI like the tree painting the best. Thanks for sharing your trip, TB.
ReplyDeleteYou all be safe and God bless.
Linda, funny story: That tree painting is the same tree as is above it. Wyeth used it for the subject, but changed the point of view.
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