D.VE

An aggressive reimagining of the Screaming Child Stung by a Bee piece, attributed to Hendrick de Keyser (c. 1615), in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Edition of 2. Hand cut stencil spray painted & balloons full of spray paint popped on Arches Aquarelle, Natural White, 4 Deckle edges, 640 g/m² 56 x 76 cm.
Montana Black BLK400 Copperchrome, MTN 94 R-9011 Matt Black, MTN 94 R-9010 Matt White

Anytime I go to a new city to paint I go to a local museum and hope to find a a new statue to reference for a future piece. When I came across ‘Screaming Child Stung by a Bee’ at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam I had to look no further. The expression in the piece and the story behind it made it an ideal reference for a shattering bust. This sculpture probably depicts Cupid, the god of love, who was stung by a bee after stealing some honey. The incident is described in a poem attributed to the Greek poet Theocritus which suggests that a sting from a Bee with the taste of honey can be as bittersweet darts of love shot by Eros himself. Part of this practice is deciding the point of impact for the initial shatter. With this one the clear choice was to make it happen where the Bee sting’s the child.

Once thievish Love the honeyed hives would rob,
When a bee stung him: soon he felt a throb
Through all his finger-tips, and, wild with pain,
Blew on his hands and stamped and jumped in vain.
To Aphrodite then he told his woe:
'How can a thing so tiny hurt one so?'
She smiled and said; 'Why thou'rt a tiny thing,
As is the bee; yet sorely thou canst sting.’

       

25 - 28 out of 32 at .art
25/32 D5 MGRS:33U US 52567 29863
26/32 E4 MGRS:33U US 52560 29852
27/32 H7 MGRS:33U US 52540 29860
28/32 G4 MGRS:33U US 52539 29898

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