A 1p autograph letter signed by American realist artist Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) as "Andy" near bottom. N.d., but inscribed "5/1/90" in the upper left hand corner. [Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.] The 17-word note, along with the detailed drawing of a biker and motorcycle measuring 3.25" x 1.25" alone, was penned on a blank piece of white paper. Expected minor wear including a few gentle wrinkles in the lower left corner, else near pristine. 8.5" x 11." Provenance: From the personal collection of George & Helen Sipala, Wyeth's longtime friends and neighbors in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity dated November 2, 2020 originally signed by Helen Sipala.

Wyeth cleverly incorporated a pen sketch of an exhaust-chugging motorcycle into this note addressed to his Chadds Fords neighbors George & Helen Sipala, in full: "4:30 / Helen - / Stopped in on this / [drawing of motorcycle] / Sorry to have missed you and George - / Will return / love / Andy - ."

Wyeth was almost certainly being facetious when he boldly claimed that he had stopped by Painter's Folly, the Sipala home, on a motorcycle, unless he had borrowed a friend's machine. Wyeth is known to have sketched and painted several works depicting motorcycles around this time, ca. 1990. One of these was a tempera on panel entitled "Man and the Moon," 1990, depicting Wyeth's friend and Chadds Ford neighbor Jimmy Lynch as a nude figure standing in front of a parked motorcycle with an illuminated headlight beam. Another example is a tempera on panel entitled "Drifting" (1991) which depicts the same motorcycle, sifted with an inch of newly fallen snow, parked in front of Jimmy's house. In fact, the very last painting executed by Wyeth in Chadds Ford was entitled "Stop!" and depicted his friend Andy Bell straddling his Harley at a Route 1 stoplight. Wyeth's initial studies for "Stop!" were completed in 2004, demonstrating that Wyeth's interest in motorcycles and bikers extended over a nearly 20-year-long period, from ca. 1990-2009.

Provenance

George & Helen Sipala lived at Painter's Folly, near Route 1 (or Baltimore Pike) in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania from 1974 until 2018. Painter's Folly was an Italianate style residence built in 1857 that had served as Howard Pyle's summer art colony around the turn of the twentieth century; Wyeth's father had studied there.

In her letter of authenticity, Helen Sipala states that Andrew Wyeth's first visit to Painter's Folly occurred on March 1, 1989, after Wyeth had rambled onto the property to study a pair of mermaid statues. Wyeth's home and studio was located about 1.5 miles to the southwest of Painter's Folly. The artist was cordially received and granted full access to the house, roof line, and property. Wyeth visited regularly, sometimes almost daily, over the next 20 years until his death in 2009. Painter's Folly is depicted in Wyeth's work of the same name, from 1989 (see picture included for reference). In the end, about half a dozen Wyeth works feature either Painter's Folly or the Sipalas.

Helen wrote in part:

"When we weren't home, he [Andy] would leave us a written note on the kitchen table to let us know of his visit. At first it was any little piece of paper he could find until we realized that a pad was necessary. As you will see, the notes pertained to what he was working on, the time of the day, and with a personal sketch or two.

The notes were signed with various comical notations or signatures. Robin Hood, The Snowman, The man on the roof, Old Bones, The Spirit, etc. were just a few. Sketches might explain what he was working on or just silly thoughts in his head…Little did he know, that these simple drawings and letters would become a real part of our lives, and, hopefully, a real part of Andy's legacy…"

Wyeth and the Sipalas also socialized together in Chadds Ford, Maine, and elsewhere, and Helen Sipala also occasionally posed for him. Helen Sipala relied on recollections, diary entries, and the voluminous collection of ephemera that Andy left behind on his visits to compose her memoir, "Beyond the Marriage Bed: My Years as Friend, Model and Confidante of Andrew Wyeth" (Berkeley, California: Regent Press, 2021), edited by Bruce E. Mowbray. In 2018, Painter's Folly was purchased by Chadds Ford as part of its Historic and Open Space inventory initiatives.

Andrew Wyeth was the youngest child of nationally acclaimed illustrator Newell Convers Wyeth (1882-1945). Andrew became known for his spare, stark, monochromatic depictions of nature and rural American life. His moving work "Christina's World" (1948), showing his physically disabled neighbor Christina Olson stretched out in a field, is emblematic of Wyeth's style and tone. He typically sketched in pencil or watercolor, and his finished large-scale artwork was accomplished in either watercolor, drybrush watercolor, or egg tempera.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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