Island Steer 1976

Jamie Wyeth painted Island Steer as part of his body of work made on Monhegan Island in Maine. He belongs to an American artistic dynasty and continues a family legacy of representational art. In this landscape, dominated by a lighthouse, Wyeth subverts traditional coastal scenes by placing a steer in the foreground. Monhegan Island, with its rugged beauty and isolation, has historically drawn artists seeking inspiration away from urban centers. Wyeth's choice to depict a steer disrupts the romanticized image of coastal life, introducing a raw, agricultural element. Wyeth once said, "I am fascinated by the dynamics of animals." The steer, rendered with careful attention to its physicality, becomes a symbol of the island's hidden, working-class identity, challenging picturesque representations. The stark contrast between the natural and built environments, the animal and the architecture, evokes the tensions between tradition and modernity, nature and culture. This work encourages us to consider how our perceptions of place are shaped by selective narratives.