Object Record
Images
Metadata
Artist |
Ibbetson, Julius Caesar |
Title |
All Hallows' Eve |
Date |
1803 |
Medium |
Oil on canvas |
Dimensions |
H-18.25 W-24.25 inches |
Object name |
Painting |
Collection |
19th Century Collection |
Credit line |
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. A. Hays Town |
Catalog number |
1963.01.02 |
Notes |
Halloween is among America's most beloved holidays. While contemporary festivities are closely associated with black cats, costumes, jack o'lanterns, and, most notably, candy, the roots can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. This ancient celebration marked the transition from the harvest season to winter, during which it was believed that the boundary between the living and the dead grew thin, allowing spirits to traverse the earthly realm. Halloween's popularity in the United States owes much to the arrival of the Irish during the Great Potato Famine. They brought with them many of their cultural traditions, including those associated with Halloween. Over time, Irish Halloween customs melded with various other cultural influences, culminating in the contemporary American celebrations of today. Aspects like costuming, pumpkin carving, and trick-or-treating were shaped by a blend of Irish, Scottish, and other European traditions. In the 19th century, Halloween celebrations featured various games, such as jumping over a candle flame and roasting chestnuts but the most popular being the tradition of bobbing for apples. These parlor games had more to do with matters of the heart than with the supernatural. As with bobbing for apples, the prevailing custom involved filling a tub with water and apples. Each apple symbolized someone special for the participant. Each participant would then take turns bobbing for an apple and endeavor to bite the apple that corresponded to their romantic interest. It was believed that successfully biting the apple on the first attempt was a sign of destined love and a lasting relationship. While gazing upon this festive 1803 painting by English artist Julius Ceasar Ibbetson, one could only imagine that just beyond the merrymakers is a group of curious youths nestled around an apple-filled tub in the hopes of discovering their future love. |
Search terms |
hallows eve dancing gathering festival fire painting |