The Ghost Story
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
121 × 191.5 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
American Painting and Sculpture
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Edward S. Harkness
Accession Number
1923.416
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
male
About this artwork
This picture depicts a prosperous peasant's dwelling, where the women of the house have gathered to spin and prepare food. McEwen showed the narration of a ghost story at its most dramatic moment—all eyes are fixed on the storyteller, the spinning wheels are idle, the listeners lean toward her in fascination, and the little girl clutches her doll in fear. When this work was exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1888 and at the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition, it won praise for both its techn...