The French Beekeeper

This is a portrait of C. P. Dadant who migrated with his father to the United States in the mid 1850's from France. They began beekeeping and built a business that still exists today five generations later. He is one of my ancestors.  I painted this from an old photograph taken in the early 1900's as he walked down the hill to work one morning.  The sky is reminiscent of the wonderful honey we got from the bees. 

Gouache painting.  11 x 17 inches. 2008.