"What you have to do is break the rules."
Andrew Wyeth (artist)
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Stretched on the prairie ground, a young woman stares out into the distance. Maybe she’s gazing at the houses perched on the hill. Who is this lounging lady?
An air of mystery hangs around this painting by Andrew Wyeth. But with a little background information, its secrets are revealed…
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Andrew Wyeth, "Christina’s World", 1948, tempera on panel, 32.25 x 47.75 in, Museum of Modern Art, New York. © Andrew Wyeth / ADAGP, Paris, 2016.
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In reality, the character in this canvas is Christina Olson, Wyeth’s friend and neighbor. As a result of a degenerative disease, she has irreversible paralysis. Because she cannot walk on her legs, she relies on her arms to get around.
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Andrew Wyeth, "Study for Christina's World", 1948, watercolor. © Andrew Wyeth / ADAGP, Paris, 2016.
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One day, while looking through his window, Wyeth notices his neighbor moving about outside. From what he can tell, she’s harvesting blueberries. Touched by Christina’s courage, he wants to show the world what he sees.
The American artist prepares dozens of sketches, working tirelessly to capture her exact posture. He even asks his wife, Betsy, to serve as his model while he draws the character’s bust.
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Andrew Wyeth, "Study for Christina's World", 1948, drawing. © Andrew Wyeth / ADAGP, Paris, 2016.
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Next, Wyeth attentively paints Christina’s arms, warped by disease. As he explains it, "The challenge for me was to do justice to her extraordinary conquest of a life which most people would consider hopeless."
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Andrew Wyeth, "Christina’s World", 1948, tempera on panel, 32.25 x 47.75 in, Museum of Modern Art, New York. Detail of the work. © Andrew Wyeth / ADAGP, Paris, 2016.
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The painting, which is exhibited in 1948, receives lukewarm reviews. At the time, abstract art is very popular and Wyeth’s realist scene goes against the grain.
Today, its considered a masterpiece of American art. How did it rise to fame? Thanks to the founder of the Museum of Modern Art. Profoundly affected by Christina’s World, he purchased the painting for his new museum. The rest, as they say, is history.
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 What you have to do is break the rules.
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Andrew Wyeth (artist) 
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Andrew Wyeth, "Portrait of Christina Olson", 1947, Curtis Galleries, Minneapolis. © Andrew Wyeth / ADAGP, Paris, 2016.
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This detail comes from which 19th-century painting?
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