Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night, No. 2

1917
(American, 1893–1967)
32.1 x 18.6 cm (12 5/8 x 7 5/16 in.)
Reproduced with permission from the Charles E. Burchfield Foundation
This artwork is known to be under copyright.
Location: not on view

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

Rather than working on a single sheet, Burchfield joined two pieces of paper to make this drawing.

Description

This drawing is the second study for Charles Burchfield's Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night, which he considered the most important drawing of his "golden year." Here, the artist sketched the composition in graphite, attempting to record the spire of Salem’s Baptist church (since destroyed by fire) rising up between two houses. Burchfield hoped to express his powerful childhood fear of the bell’s ominous ring—which he described as “a dull roar . . . dying slowly & with a growl.”
Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night, No. 2

Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night, No. 2

1917

Charles Burchfield

(American, 1893–1967)
America, 20th century

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.