N. C. WYETH | "I've promised you I would. I will promise every time you ask me."

The artist
Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, by 1916
The artist, 1917
Mabel Rollins, Boston, Massachusetts
Private collection, California, circa 1932 (by descent)
By descent to the present owner, 1993

Frank H. Spearman, Nan of Music Mountain, New York, 1916, p. 414, illustrated
Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., N. C. Wyeth, The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals, New York, 1972, p. 218
Christine B. Podmaniczky, N.C. Wyeth: Catalogue Raisonné of Paintings, vol. I, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, 2008, no. I.571, p. 308, illustrated 

The canvas is unlined and there appears to be frame abrasion along the extreme edges with two small dots of associated loss at the extreme upper center and lower center edge, which possibly corresponds to the artist's original pinholes. There appears to be a few scattered spots of surface cracking in areas of thicker impasto, primarily in the lower left foreground, and a few scattered pindots of possible surface accretion in the sky at upper center. Under UV: although some pigments fluoresce, they appear to be the artist's original work. There is inpainting to frame abrasion at the left and right extreme edges.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

"I've promised you I would. I will promise every time you ask me." is one of three images N.C. Wyeth painted as an illustration for Nan of Music Mountain, a 1916 book by Frank H. Spearman, a well-known author of Western novels. Wyeth executed the present work at the height of the period known as the Golden Age of Illustration. By this time, he had achieved commercial success after studying at Howard Pyle’s eponymous school and selling his first drawing to The Saturday Evening Post in 1903. In 1911, Wyeth received a commissioned from Charles Scribner's Sons to provide the accompanying images for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, after which he became a highly sought-after illustrator of the most prominent novels of the day. These commissions allowed the artist’s bright, bold and dynamic aesthetic to deeply ingrain itself within the national popular consciousness as Wyeth proved his ability to bring iconic characters and their exploits to life again and again. He was particularly respected for the spirit of adventure he could seamlessly conjure in his images, which often not only complemented but also enhanced a narrative. 

Nan of Music Mountain tells the story of an intrepid mountaineer named Henry de Spain, who falls in love with Nan, the daughter of the area’s most notorious outlaw, Duke Morgan. Ultimately overcoming the obstacles engendered by a family feud marked by violent gun battles and kidnapping, the young lovers reunite in the middle of a ferocious snowstorm. Nan’s father finally gives his consent, and an impromptu wedding ceremony is performed on the spot, the event depicted in the present work.