Olson House is a 14-room Colonial farmhouse in

Cushing, Maine Cushing is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,502 at the 2020 census. A favorite of artists for its unspoiled natural setting, Cushing includes the villages of North Cushing, Cushing, South Cushing, and Pleasant ...

. The house was made famous by its depiction in

Andrew Wyeth Andrew Newell Wyeth ( ; July 12, 1917 – January 16, 2009) was an American visual artist, primarily a realist painter, working predominantly in a regionalist style. He was one of the best-known U.S. artists of the middle 20th century. In his ...

's ''

Christina's World ''Christina's World'' is a 1948 painting by American painter Andrew Wyeth and one of the best-known American paintings of the mid-20th century. It is a tempera work done in a realist style, depicting a woman semi-reclining on the ground in a tree ...

''. The house and its occupants, Christina and Alvaro Olson, were depicted in numerous paintings and sketches by Wyeth from 1939 to 1968. The house was designated as a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in June 2011. The

Farnsworth Art Museum The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine, United States, is an art museum that specializes in American art. Its permanent collection includes works by such artists as Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, Thomas Eakins, Eastman Johnson, Fitz Henry Lan ...

owns the house; it is open to the public.

Early history

The Hathorn-Olson House was built in the late 1700s by Captain Samuel Hathorn II (b abt. 1750). The house was substantially altered in 1871 by Captain Samuel Hathorn IV (1822–1892). The 1871 alterations included the addition of several bedrooms on the third floor and the construction of a steeply pitched roof. The property was inherited in 1929 by Christina Olson and Alvaro Olson from their mother Katie Hathorn (b. Feb. 15 1858 - d. Nov. 1929), a descendant of Captain Hathorn.

Association with Wyeth

Between 1939 and 1968, the house was depicted in paintings and sketches by the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

artist

, including his 1948 masterpiece, ''

''. Wyeth was inspired to paint ''Christina's World'' by the story of Christina Olson, who had lost the use of her legs to, at the time unknown, Charcot—Marie—Tooth disease. Wyeth befriended the Olsons and maintained a studio in the house. Wyeth later recalled, "I just couldn't stay away from there. I did other pictures while I knew them but I'd always seem to gravitate back to the house." Christina and Alvaro Olson lived at the house until they died in 1968 and 1967, respectively. The Olsons, as well as Andrew Wyeth, are buried in the Olson family cemetery on the property.

Later years

After Christina's death, the house was purchased in 1968 by movie director

Joseph E. Levine Joseph Edward Levine (September 9, 1905 – July 31, 1987) was an American film distributor, financier and producer. At the time of his death, it was said he was involved in one or another capacity with 497 films. Levine was responsible for the ...

, who was an admirer of Wyeth's work. Levine operated the house as a museum for two years starting in 1971 but the operation met with opposition from local residents. In 1974, Levine announced that he would give the property to the State of Maine, but Levine withdrew the offer in 1975 over concerns that the state lacked funding to maintain the property. The house was purchased by

Apple Inc. Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company ...

CEO

John Sculley John Sculley III (born April 6, 1939) is an American businessman, entrepreneur and investor in high-tech startups. Sculley was vice-president (1970–1977) and president of PepsiCo (1977–1983), until he became chief executive officer (CEO) ...

, who put the house up for sale in 1989. Sculley eventually donated the house to the

in 1991. The Olson House remains under the ownership of the Farnsworth Art Museum, which maintains it as a facility that is open for public visitation. Farnsworth executive director Christopher Brownawell noted, "This nondescript saltwater farmhouse and its connecting structure has become one of the most recognized images in American art."

Historic designation

The building was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1995 and designated as a

in 2011.

References

External links