It was during this period, between the ages of 20-22, that he had his earliest romantic relationship. A collection of letters from him to his girlfriend, Alice Moore, will feature at Skinners Auctioneers in Marlborough, Massachusetts, in the next Books & Manuscripts auction (online, May 23-June 2).
The letters express Wyeth’s great yearning for Moore’s companionship and his desire to marry her, yet he seems insecure in regard to her feelings when he writes: “Oh God! If I was only a man that you loved not for his art but for himself alone, then I would be happy.”
As well as the romantic content of the writing, the letters give insight into his painting habits and moods, specific works, his travels and his social life. He describes the look of the sea in Maine in the winter, the colours of the wet landscape and his experiments with techniques and materials. This valuable resource is estimated to sell for $80,000-120,000.
By Katherine Boyle
