From October 1 through November 20, the Brandywine River Museum presents “Andrew Wyeth: Early Watercolors,” an exhibition of nearly 50 watercolor paintings by Andrew Wyeth. This exhibition demonstrates the range of subjects Wyeth addressed in watercolor from the late 1930s to the early 1950s.

Although today Wyeth is known primarily for his work in tempera, his distinctive and exciting early watercolors helped establish his reputation as an artist. In fact, Wyeth first gained national acclaim during his 1937 debut exhibition of watercolors at the prominent Macbeth Gallery in New York City. Overnight, the 20-year-old Wyeth was heralded by critics as a major new talent and a worthy successor to Wyeth’s idol and America’s dean of watercolor, Winslow Homer.

Wyeths first solo exhibition in a museum was at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, N.H., in 1939. “Andrew Wyeth: Early Watercolors” was also organized by the Currier Museum of Art.

“Andrew Wyeth: Early Watercolors” focuses on the land and people Wyeth painted both in Chadds Ford and Coastal Maine, where he has summered since youth. As many of the works are from private collections and have not been viewed publicly, the exhibition offers new perspectives on one of America’s best-known and most popular paintings. A fully illustrated exhibition catalog is available for purchase at the Brandywine River Museum Shop.

The Brandywine River Museum is on US Route 1. For information, 610-388-2700 or www.brandywinemuseum.org.