Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967), Winter Sun and Backyards, 1947; watercolor and charcoal on paper mounted on board, 26 ½ x 34¾ inches (Frame: 37 1/4 x 44 11/16 inches); Collection of the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Gift of Dr. Meyer H. and Ann S. Riwchun, 2000
The Burchfield Penney Art Center received two paintings by Charles E. Burchfield donated by bequest from Dr. Meyer and Mrs. Ann Riwchun. Winter Sun and Backyards (1947) and Early Spring Sunlight (1950) were featured in an exhibition of works from the collection and on loan from private owners. The exhibition showed how Burchfield transformed familiar sights from his neighborhood into poetic visual statements about the vibrancy of life, the beauty of the natural world, and seasonal changes as a metaphor for hope. The exhibition title came from a poem by T. S. Eliot.