Peter Hurd
From a Flying Fortress over England by Peter Hurd
1942

Name: From a Flying Fortress over England by Peter Hurd
Brand: Peter Hurd
Price: 29850 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Peter Hurd 1904 - 1984 American From a Flying Fortress over England Signed, inscribed and dated: "Peter Hurd England 1942" (bottom left) Watercolor on paper Acclaimed American painter Peter Hurd demonstrates his mastery of capturing a specificity of place in his watercolor painting From a Flying Fortress over England. Hailing from his acclaimed “War Sketches,” Hurd’s trademark expressive brushwork and soft palette create an immersive, evocative scene. The acclaimed “War Sketches” series began in 1942, when Hurd was invited by Life magazine to travel with the US Air Force as a War Correspondent. This assignment represented a convergence in Hurd’s interests, as the artist had graduated from the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell and attended West Point for two years before deciding to pursue art full-time. His recognizable looser style and use of watercolor developed as a response to the quick, transitory moments of military life during the Second World War. Hurd painted From a Flying Fortress over England while traveling with the US Air Force in England, and his new style was well-equipped for this scene, which depicts an interior view of an airborne B-17 bomber’s turret. Outside the turret, the English countryside stretches towards the mountains on the horizon, rendered with deep green, brown and yellow hues. The delicate application of paint gives the work an almost dreamlike quality, as if to give the viewer a glimpse into Hurd’s memory. Hurd completed his artistic training at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts before becoming a personal student of N. C. Wyeth, the notable illustrator and painter. While working as Wyeth’s assistant at his studio in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, Hurd became close with his children, Andrew and Henriette Wyeth, and married Henriette in 1929. Today, much of Hurd’s work can be found in museum collections worldwide, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Brandywine Museum, among others. A true documentarian of his time, Hurd’s masterful ability to imbue his paintings with a lifelike realism and sensitivity has secured his place in American history. Dated 1942 Unframed: 9 3/4" high x 14" wide Framed: 13 1/2" high x 17 1/2" wide

Creator:

Peter Hurd (1904 - 1984, American)

Creation Year:

1942

Dimensions:

Height: 13.5 in (34.29 cm)Width: 17.5 in (44.45 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)

Medium:

Watercolor,Paper

Period:

20th Century

Condition:

Gallery Location:

New Orleans, LA

Reference Number:

Seller: 31-56581stDibs: LU18610762842

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Peter Hurd

Peter Hurd was born on February 22, 1904. He left his birthplace of Roswell, New Mexico in 1921 after receiving a senatorial appointment to West Point. He left the academy after only two years to pursue a career, not as a soldier but an artist. Hurd sought out N.C. Wyeth in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania and studied as his private pupil. Undaunted by Wyeth’s warning that studying under him would be much tougher than attending West Point, Hurd accepted the challenge and studied alongside Wyeth and his children for 10 years. All the Wyeths were quite taken by this handsome, energetic young man in cowboy boots and hat, but none so much as Wyeth’s eldest daughter, Henriette, who married Hurd in 1929. After a decade on the east coast, Hurd longed for his independence and a return to the West. These desires ultimately led the couple, along with their growing family, to San Patricio, New Mexico where they spend the rest of their lives. The landscape of New Mexico inspired Hurd and it was here that he developed his true artistic style. Hurd became celebrated for egg tempera, watercolors and lithographs depicting the New Mexico way of life in the form of landscape and portraits. The rush against time not only challenged Hurd but also led to his creation of field sketches. These sketches were done quickly with watercolor or pen and wash. It was often from his field sketches that Hurd created his detailed tempera and watercolors. Despite his growing popularity as a regional artist, Hurd’s adventurous spirit took him all over the world. His first major excursion took place in the mid-1940s when Hurd left home to serve as an illustrative war correspondent for LIFE Magazine. The resulting wartime works varied from field sketches to fully developed egg tempera and watercolors. Many of these war sketches now hang in the Pentagon. After the war, Hurd traveled to North Africa, Asia and Saudi Arabia, where Hurd befriended and painted King Faisal. These locales made for intriguing works, however, none would bring Hurd as much attention as when he was asked to paint President Johnson’s official portrait. The portrait was notoriously rejected by the president, which generated a great deal of media attention, making Hurd a household name. From his humble beginnings as a Wyeth pupil to his success as a southwest artist, Hurd never lost his commitment to the canvas. Hurd continued to be passionate about his painting career until his death in 1984 but his undying philosophy and legend still live on to this day.