 |
| Christina's World |
| Andrew Wyeth, 1948 |
| Tempera on panel |
| 32 inches × 48 inches cm |
| Museum of Modern Art, New York City |
Christina's World is the most famous work by American painter Andrew Wyeth, and one of the best-known American paintings of the 20th century. Painted in 1948, this tempera work is displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It depicts Christina Olson, who had an undiagnosed muscular deterioration that paralyzed her lower body—likely Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease[1]—dragging herself across the ground to pick vegetables from her garden. She is the subject of a number of other paintings by Wyeth (many including Christina's brother). Surprisingly, although Christina is the artistic subject of this, Wyeth's masterpiece, she was not the model -- Wyeth's wife Betsy instead posed for the painting.[2] The house in Cushing, Maine, where Wyeth had been staying when he saw the scene that inspired the painting, still stands, although Wyeth took artistic license in its depiction, separating the barn from the house and changing the lay of the land. Known as the Olson house, it is on the National Register of Historic Places.
References in popular culture
- In the novel A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews, Nomi Nickel hangs a Christina's World poster up in her room.
- It figures briefly on a postcard in the movie "The In Crowd" (2000) starring Susan Ward and Lori Heuring.
- The painting features briefly in the comic book series Preacher by Garth Ennis. Jesse Custer views the painting, his mother's favorite, at the MOMA.
- A parody version of the painting appeared in The Simpsons episode "Springfield Up". The painting was identical to the real one, except for featuring Mr. Burns in Christina's place.
- In the DVD extras to the movie Tideland, director Terry Gilliam cites Christina's World as an inspiration in setting the backdrop and mood for the movie. The same extras claim that the author of the book was also inspired by this same painting.
- What appears to be this painting appears as a prop in performances of the Blue Man Group. The prop actually uses a removable Christina, which is revealed when removed with a vacuum.
- In 2000, MAD Magazine released its annual list of the "Dumbest People, Events, and Things" of the previous year. A full-page parody of the painting depicted Hillary Rodham Clinton in the field, with the U.S. Capitol in the distance, lampooning her campaign to become senator of New York State.
- In the novel The Dark Tower by Stephen King, Jake's favourite painting.
- In "Method to His Madness" an episode of the television series Medium.
References
- ^ Anderson, R.J. (2007) The Pharos, http://www.nymc.edu/student/AOA/pharos.asp
- ^ Corliss, Richard. Andrew Wyeth's Stunning Secret. Time Magazine. Monday, Aug. 18, 1986.
- Christina's World in the MoMA Online Collection
