Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

A week after he painted The Insect Chorus, which incorporates his Convention for Abstract Thoughts signifying Fear, as well as audio-cryptograms for various insect sounds, Burchfield wrote in his journal about a similar animated scenario:

          Hazy sun-spoked mornings; white glowing house roofs; dk western sky;

          Noon – z-ing of katydids, high shrill pin-point cricket chorus; darting of yellow & white butterflies / dark blue grey north sky, whitish sepulchral sunlight over things, dry leaves rattle in wind, a cicada; dying sunflowers;

          Afternoon sunlight turns whiter, cold like moonlight, the katydids subside, leaving the pin-point cricket song; scaring grass; sad sunlight on windows

          Night – the saffron yellow dusk dims to a black star-studded sky, the night chorus commences –