The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 29, 2023

Hadrian's Villa

1958

This object has related works. See Compositional Study for Hadrian's Villa; Study for Hadrian's Villa

Peter Blume

(American, 1906–1992)

America, 20th century

Oil on canvas

Framed: 93 x 108.6 x 7 cm (36 5/8 x 42 3/4 x 2 3/4 in.); Unframed: 76.2 x 91.5 cm (30 x 36 in.)

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Edward L. Holsten 1958.318

© [year] The Educational Alliance, Inc. / Estate of Peter Blume / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

Location

not on view

Description

American artist Peter Blume depicts a scene he witnessed at the ruins of Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli, Italy, where a group of workers harvested olives from a monumental olive tree. While some of the men and women climb the tree, others gather the fruit in baskets. Ruined buildings frame the olive tree, contrasting the bounty of the harvest with decay.

Inscriptions

Inscription

signed lower left: Peter Blume, 1958

Exhibition history

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia (11/12/2014 - 4/5/2015) and Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT (6/27/2015 - 9/20/2015): "Peter Blume: Nature and Metamorphosis'

Peter Blume: Nature and Metamorphosis. Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Museum of American Art, Philadelphia, PA (organizer) (November 12, 2014-April 5, 2015); Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT (June 27-September 20, 2015).

Artlens Exhibition 2017. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 24, 2017-May 29, 2019).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1958.318