Original Painting Mother Goose Swarm of Bees

This Tasha Tudor original watercolor was published in Tasha’s Caldecott Honor book, Mother Goose, by Oxford University Press in 1944. Tasha has faithfully interpreted the Swarm of Bees rhyme, showing hay being harvested in early New England style. Given the hay crop pictured, one assumes that the farmers had successfully located and housed a swarm of bees in May.  

A swarm of bees in May

Is worth a load of hay;

A swarm of bees in June

Is worth a silver spoon;

A swarm of bees in July

Is not worth a fly. 

In the illustration, two young children stand on a split-rail fence to watch hay being moved from windrows into haystacks. Before baling was common, hay was forked onto a wagon and then again into barns to sustain cows, horses, and the like through the long New England winters. Hay is such a cornerstone of farming; it’s no surprise that Tasha frequently painted such scenes. The buildings shown include a large barn and silo. The third structure could either be an additional outbuilding or the farmhouse. Early barns were typically painted red due to the ingredients used to preserve wood at the time, in this case, iron oxide mixed with linseed oil and other ingredients. Stone walls separate the hayfield from the road. The details in this piece display Tasha’s penchant for historical accuracy. 

The history of the Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes is an interesting one and worth a look. According to the Poetry Foundation, the tradition may have started as early as the 10th century, though authorship has been claimed by several regions. 

Tasha’s originals are commonly more beautiful than the printed reproductions in books. The lines are delicately rendered, the watercolor exquisitely controlled, and the colors a gentle perfection. The illustration in the printed book is both blurred and oversaturated compared to the original. The second photo shows the printed version of the painting, though the difference is more pronounced in person. The third shows Tasha's signature, measuring less than 3/4" in length.

It's hard to believe that this painting is about 82 years old. Tasha made this only six years after her first published book in 1938. At the time of publication, Tasha, her husband, and their two children lived with Tasha’s mother, Rosamund Tudor, in Redding, Connecticut. Remarkably, Tasha was caring for young children, tending livestock, growing food, all while producing about 95 pieces for Mother Goose, her eighth book in six years. The commercial success of Mother Goose allowed Tasha to purchase her dream homestead, a run-down 1789 farmhouse in New Hampshire. With her husband and first two children, she moved from Connecticut to New Hampshire in 1945.

Tasha’s idyllic subject matter doesn’t convey the financial struggle of supporting a family with art. But even in her elder years, Tasha oft remembered the daily incentive to “keep the wolf from the door” in her early years. 

This painting was originally purchased circa 1960-1975 from Edward (Ned) Hills, proprietor of the Dutch Inn Gift Shop in Mill Hall, Pennsylvania. He was hailed as one of the earliest Tasha Tudor fans and eventually ran a dedicated “Tasha Tudor Room” in his shop. The shop issued catalogs and held Tasha Tudor events during which she signed many books for fans. This painting is noted in Ned Hills’s 1975 A Partial List of Original Water Colors, Drawings, Oils, and Pastels by Tasha Tudor; Together with the names of the owners of most of the Pieces, which suggests a purchase date prior to 1975. This piece has been in the same family since purchase.

The back of the frame has an older sticker (pictured) typical of the Dutch Inn, specifying “Mother Goose, “Swarm of Bees” p.22”. An insurance value was recorded in pencil later as $200. 

The painting has not been removed from the frame for examination. Like other Mother Goose paintings we have examined, this looks to be the same stiff paperboard, much smoother than the normal textured watercolor paper of Tasha's later (and earlier!) career. There appears to be a small (.5mm) indent on the paperboard over the lowest windrow.

This piece was originally matted in a French mat, a style of matting involving hand-drawn brown and gilt lines and a watercolor wash to enhance the artwork. French matting was Tasha’s preferred style. Given the slight yellowing in the mat bevel and the time elapsed since being framed, it may be advisable for the new owner to procure an archival-quality mat and UV glass. The frame shows dings, scratches, and scrapes, which, in our opinion, enhance the ambiance.

If you grew up in New England, you may remember such scenes of the rural agricultural landscape. Or this piece might remind you of the beauty of rural New England, whether or not you still reside here. Part of Tasha’s magic was creating work that wove families together. Perhaps you have happy memories of a loved one reading Tasha’s Mother Goose aloud. This nostalgic original might be just the one to warm your heart once again. 

Mat opening 4.75” x 5.75”

Exterior frame dimensions: 10.75” x 11.75”