Collections record Beta

Collection Record Detail

Object Name

Watercolor Painting - Hop Picking

Object Number

1980-33-2

Description

The watercolor painting depicts the seated figure of a woman in center facing right. She is dressed in a tan quilted skirt with a blue and white checked apron over a faded blue tunic bodice and dark fichu and high crowned cap. White stockings and dark shoes with buckles. A pole entwined with hop vies is in her lap. She is picking off blossoms and dropping them into a high cylindrical willow basket. A boy in typical country garb of full sleeved shirt and light knee breeches approaches from right carring a pole also entwined with flowering vines. Two small girls, one standing and one seated, deposit blossoms in basket to left. The background is typical English bucolic scene with thatched cottage to right and a post and rail fence running diagonally to it behind the figures. In center underneath painting "Hop Picking" in ink.

Comment

Lucy Sheldon attended the Litchfield Female Academy 1801-1803. She mentions in her diary painting this picture. See also 1980-33-1 for a watercolor painted at the same time. Lucy Sheldon (1788-1889) was born in Litchfield the daughter of Dr. Daniel and Hudlah (Stone) Sheldon. In 1832, she married Theron Beach of Goshen, CT, a merchant and President of the Pheonix Bank. See 1939-04-1 for her portrait as Mrs. Theron Beach painted c. 1870. See also LHS LFA MSS Collection for an 1802 album, 1802 copy book and three music books by Lucy Sheldon.