Husking Bee, Island of Nantucket

1876

This painting by Eastman Johnson takes its nostalgic theme from rural Nantucket. A timeless evocation of agrarian peace and cooperation, it includes a woman discovering a red ear of corn, which, according to folk tradition, would allow her to kiss the person of her choice. This use of local subject matter combined with an international style was typical of American art around the time of the centennial.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Eastman Johnson (American, 1824–1906)

Date

1876

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

69.6 × 138.2 cm (27 3/8 × 54 3/8 in.)

Origin

Nantucket Island

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Gift of Honoré and Potter Palmer