Kuerner Farm
Encyclopedia
Kuerner Farm, also known as Ring Farm, is a historic farm in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania notable for its association with artist Andrew Wyeth
, who created about one-third of his work, over 1,000 paintings and drawings, on subjects he found there over a period of 77 years. The farm was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
and declared a National Historic Landmark
in 2011. The property abuts the Brandywine Battlefield
, another National Historic Landmark. The farm is open to public tours, operated by the Brandywine River Museum
.
was fought nearby on September 11, 1777, leaving a cannon ball and grapeshot
in the farm's fields. Continental troops and militia units marched past on Ring road, but no actual fighting on the property can be documented. Brandywine Battlefield State Park is about a half-mile north of the farm. Caleb Ring built the farmhouse c. 1814, and a third story was added c. 1850.
Illustrator Howard Pyle
taught art students, including N.C. Wyeth, at Turner's Mill on US 1
, just north of the farm, during the summers from 1898 to 1903.
In 1926, Karl Kuerner and his wife Anna rented the farm, which they bought in 1940. Karl had been a sheepherder near the Black Forest
in his native Germany, and had been a machine gunner in the German Army during World War I, before moving to Philadelphia in 1926. Andrew Wyeth's first painting of the farm was completed in 1932, at age 15.
In 1945, Andrew's father, N.C. Wyeth and his nephew, were killed by a train at the railroad crossing near the northwest corner of the farm.
Andrew Wyeth met Helga Testorf in 1971 while she was nursing Karl Kuerner at the farm. She was a German immigrant who lived across Ring Road from the farm with her husband. She soon began secretly modeling for Wyeth in a famous series of paintings and drawings
. That year the first nude painting in the series was painted in the sewing room in the farm house. The works, numbering more than 240, remained secret until 1987, when they were exhibited at the National Gallery of Art.
Karl Kuerner died in 1979, followed by Anna in 1997. In 1999, the farm was acquired by the Brandywine Conservancy
, which offers tours of the farm through its Brandywine River Museum.
It was here also that Wyeth created many of "The Helga Pictures
", a series of more than 200 works all involving the model Helga Testorf, whom he met while she worked as a nurse caring for the farm's owner, Karl Kuerner.
Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Newell Wyeth was a visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century....
, who created about one-third of his work, over 1,000 paintings and drawings, on subjects he found there over a period of 77 years. The farm was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 2011. The property abuts the Brandywine Battlefield
Brandywine Battlefield
Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site is a historical park that was operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, on , near Chadds Ford, Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is part of the site of the Battle of Brandywine fought on September 11, 1777, during the...
, another National Historic Landmark. The farm is open to public tours, operated by the Brandywine River Museum
Brandywine River Museum
The Brandywine River Museum is a museum of regional and American art located on U.S. Route 1 in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania on the banks of the Brandywine River. The museum showcases the art of Andrew Wyeth a major American realist painter, and his family: his father, N.C...
.
History
The Battle of BrandywineBattle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
was fought nearby on September 11, 1777, leaving a cannon ball and grapeshot
Grapeshot
In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of shot that is not a one solid element, but a mass of small metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvas bag. It was used both in land and naval warfare. When assembled, the balls resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name...
in the farm's fields. Continental troops and militia units marched past on Ring road, but no actual fighting on the property can be documented. Brandywine Battlefield State Park is about a half-mile north of the farm. Caleb Ring built the farmhouse c. 1814, and a third story was added c. 1850.
Illustrator Howard Pyle
Howard Pyle
Howard Pyle was an American illustrator and author, primarily of books for young people. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, he spent the last year of his life in Florence, Italy.__FORCETOC__...
taught art students, including N.C. Wyeth, at Turner's Mill on US 1
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
, just north of the farm, during the summers from 1898 to 1903.
In 1926, Karl Kuerner and his wife Anna rented the farm, which they bought in 1940. Karl had been a sheepherder near the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
in his native Germany, and had been a machine gunner in the German Army during World War I, before moving to Philadelphia in 1926. Andrew Wyeth's first painting of the farm was completed in 1932, at age 15.
In 1945, Andrew's father, N.C. Wyeth and his nephew, were killed by a train at the railroad crossing near the northwest corner of the farm.
Andrew Wyeth met Helga Testorf in 1971 while she was nursing Karl Kuerner at the farm. She was a German immigrant who lived across Ring Road from the farm with her husband. She soon began secretly modeling for Wyeth in a famous series of paintings and drawings
The Helga Pictures
The Helga Pictures are a series of more than 240 paintings and drawings of German model Helga Testorf created by Andrew Wyeth between 1971 and 1985...
. That year the first nude painting in the series was painted in the sewing room in the farm house. The works, numbering more than 240, remained secret until 1987, when they were exhibited at the National Gallery of Art.
Karl Kuerner died in 1979, followed by Anna in 1997. In 1999, the farm was acquired by the Brandywine Conservancy
Brandywine River Museum
The Brandywine River Museum is a museum of regional and American art located on U.S. Route 1 in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania on the banks of the Brandywine River. The museum showcases the art of Andrew Wyeth a major American realist painter, and his family: his father, N.C...
, which offers tours of the farm through its Brandywine River Museum.
Works
Some of the paintings Wyeth created here include:- "Winter, 1946" (1946)
- "Snow Flurries" (1953)
- "Brown Swiss" (1957)
- "Groundhog Day" (1959)
- "Evening at Kuerners" (1970)
- "Young Bull" (1960)
- "Spring Fed" (1967)
- "Overflow" (1978)
- "Snow Hill" (1989)
- "Karl"
- "The Kuerners"
It was here also that Wyeth created many of "The Helga Pictures
The Helga Pictures
The Helga Pictures are a series of more than 240 paintings and drawings of German model Helga Testorf created by Andrew Wyeth between 1971 and 1985...
", a series of more than 200 works all involving the model Helga Testorf, whom he met while she worked as a nurse caring for the farm's owner, Karl Kuerner.
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Further reading
- Wise, Robert J., Jr., 2010, NHL Nomination Form for Kuerner Farm