N.c. Wyeth - Tumblr Posts

 the-evil-clergyman

Illustration from The Odyssey of Homer by N.C. Wyeth (1929)

N. C. Wyeth (1882-1945) Santa Claus and reindeer, ca. 1922.

"During those nights before Christmas, overexcited and apprehensive, Andrew sometimes wet his bed - and just moved to the other side and let the sheet dry. Around 4:30 on Christmas mornings he heard above his head the stamping of heavy boots, the ringing of sleigh bells, a booming voice shouting to the reindeer to quiet down, the scraping of a huge bag dragged toward the chimney. Andrew's skin crawled with goose pimples. Up on the roof, living his role, NC was almost weeping with excitement. Then Christmas coursed through the house like a burning fuse. Lights snapped on. NC often varied his make-believe. Sometimes, after his theatrics on the roof, he came up the stairs, his big boots thunderous, a slow tolling of doom. Huge in a padded Eskimo costume, a long beard, white eyebrows that sprouted straight out, he shook hands with every child - except Andrew, who crawled under the bedclothes and lay shaking, holding his breath till his eyes popped."

Source: Richard Meryman, Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Life, Harper Collins, 1996.