Bessie Stough Callender, Guinea Hen, ca. 1929, limestone, 17 x 8 7⁄8 x 11 1⁄4 in. (43.2 x 22.5 x 28.5 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Harold Callender, 1960.8.4
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Guinea Hen
- Artist
- Date
- ca. 1929
- Location
- Dimensions
- 17 x 8 7⁄8 x 11 1⁄4 in. (43.2 x 22.5 x 28.5 cm.)
- Credit Line
- Bequest of Harold Callender
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- limestone
- Classifications
- Subjects
- Animal — bird — guinea fowl
- Object Number
- 1960.8.4
Artwork Description
Bessie Stough Callender found herself with time on her hands while living in Paris, where her husband, Harold, was chief correspondent for the New York Times. She decided to start sculpting animals and in 1929 completed her first stone sculpture, Guinea Hen, which she carved "chiefly for practice in rounded forms." This particular guinea hen posed patiently for many weeks until she was eaten by the French bulldog that guarded the studio at night. (Harold Callender, Fun Tomorrow: The Story of an Artist and a Way of Life, 1953)