John Wilmerding — Andrew Wyeth: The Helga Pictures.

New York Harry N. Abrams 1987 Bound, cloth with original dustjacket, 108pp., 25x29cm., richly illustr. in colour and b/w., in fair condition (ex-library copy: dustjacket with some traces of use, paper edges with few brown stains, first pages with some stamps and a bit soiled, inside otherwise good). . ISBN 9780810917880. This extensively illustrated monograph presents more than 240 paintings, watercolours, drawings and studies by American artist Andrew Wyeth, all depicting Helga Testorf, a neighbour and model whom he portrayed over a period of approximately fifteen years. Created largely in secrecy between 1971 and 1985, the works reveal an unusually sustained artistic exploration of a single subject. The portraits range from intimate studies and quiet domestic scenes to carefully composed figure paintings and expressive studies of the human body. The publication documents the different techniques Wyeth employed, including tempera, watercolour and drybrush, and explores the relationship between the artist and his model, as well as the psychological intensity and realism of the series. The collection was assembled by Leonard E. B. Andrews and brought together for public presentation in the 1980s. The book includes an introductory art-historical essay by John Wilmerding, reproductions of the works, a bibliography and an index. (AI-generated content description)