Métairie des Abeilles c. 1912

Curator: Oh, there’s something melancholic about this small watercolor by Derwent Lees, titled Métairie des Abeilles, which translates from French to "The Bee Farm." Editor: That's it exactly! It feels like a fading memory. The sky almost seems to be weeping down on the muted landscape. I wonder, was Lees perhaps influenced by the ruralist movement and its critique of industrialization? Curator: Possibly. The work certainly invokes a longing for the pastoral. I find it fascinating how he captures such a vast sky on such a small surface, using these watercolor washes. Editor: Definitely. The way he's treated the sky, with its soft, diffused light, almost reminds me of photographic techniques… but in a very painterly way. Curator: Lees was known for his sensitive and sometimes troubled spirit. I imagine he saw a sanctuary, a quiet resistance in the image of the bee farm. Editor: It speaks volumes about the human desire to retreat into nature, especially when faced with overwhelming social and personal turmoil. It certainly gives us something to think about.