One of the talented children of Newell Convers (N.C.) Wyeth, Henriette Wyeth Hurd was born on 22 October 1907 as the eldest daughter to that artist and illustrator. She began to study art under her father's guidance at age eleven, and she inherited her father's determination. A crippled right hand from a childhood struggle with polio did not prevent her from becoming a well-known artist in her own right.

Henriette continued her art studies at the Normal Art School in Boston at age thirteen and later attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. After her schooling, she returned home to Chadds Ford, where she met Peter Hurd, one of her father's students. They fell in love and married.

After their wedding, Henriette and Peter moved to Sentinel Ranch in San Patricio, New Mexico against her father's wishes. This move marked Henriette as the only Wyeth to leave the east coast permanently. But, this move also allowed Henriette to grow as a painter and as a matriarch of the Wyeth-Hurd family.

Henriette painted portraits for actress Helen Hayes, author Paul Horgan and First Lady Pat Nixon. But, she loved painting children and flowers as well. Many of her works are in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery and other prestigious collections throughout the world. Her still life paintings are acknowledged as exquisite and touching.

Henriette died on 3 April 1997 at age 90. She is considered by many art scholars to be one of the great women painters of the 20th century. She was the sister of famed artist Andrew Wyeth and the inventor Nathaniel C. Wyeth.

Image: Henriette Wyeth Hurd painted the official White House portrait of U.S. First Lady Pat Nixon in 1978.