On View
Not on viewObject number1972/3.39
Telling the Bees
Artist
Childe Hassam
(American, 1859-1935)
Date1891
Mediumwatercolor on paper
Dimensionsimage: 21 3/4 × 17 3/4 in. (55.2 × 45.1 cm)
frame: 30 1/4 × 26 1/4 × 2 3/4 in. (76.8 × 66.7 × 7 cm)
frame: 30 1/4 × 26 1/4 × 2 3/4 in. (76.8 × 66.7 × 7 cm)
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Dorothy Upjohn Dalton
Exhibition History"A Century of Caring: One Hunderd Years of American Realism", KIA (May 18 - Aug. 3, 1986).
"70 Years, 70 Works from the KIA Permanent Collection," KIA (Nov.19, 1994 - Feb.10, 1995).
"Masterworks from the KIA Permanent Collection," Dennos Museum Center (Mar.1997 - Feb. 1998); Midland Center for the Arts (Apr. - July 1998).
"The Woman as Subject: Selections from the Permanent Collection," KIA Long Gallery (June 13 - Sept. 8, 2003).
Label TextIn 19th century New England, many farmers kept their own beehives to provide honey for family needs and to sell. An old folk tradition concerning the bees was observed until the early years of this century. When a member of the family died, someone had to tell the bees about the death and drape the hives in black cloth. Otherwise the bees would leave the hives and not return. Although in this piece one can see the box-like hives in the background and the girl who carries the message, Hassam is as much interested in color and light effects as he is in telling the story.
