Study No. 1 for: Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night

Charles Burchfield · 1917

Charles Burchfield: American, 1893 - 1967

UnclassifiedUnited States

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Caspar David Friedricheditorial inference
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Vincent van Gogheditorial inference
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Frederick Gottwaldeditorial inference
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Marsden Hartleyeditorial inference
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John Marineditorial inference
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Later influence

Peter Doigeditorial inference
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Museums & collections

Documented holdings of works attributed to Charles Burchfield. Check the museum’s record for current display information.

The Cleveland Museum of Art54 recorded works
The Metropolitan Museum of Art9 recorded works
National Gallery of Art7 recorded works

Sources 3

Study No. 1 for: Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night

1917

Dating: Exact year
Held at: The Cleveland Museum of Art
Medium: gray/black wash, pen and black ink, and black and color crayons, with graphite and watercolor
Dimensions: Sheet: 36.8 x 21.2 cm (14 1/2 x 8 3/8 in.)
Collection no.: 1953.429
Attribution: By the artist

Collection: The Cleveland Museum of Art

About this artwork

Study No. 1 for: Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night — Charles Burchfield. 1917.

Medium: gray/black wash, pen and black ink, and black and color crayons, with graphite and watercolor. Dimensions: Sheet: 36.8 x 21.2 cm (14 1/2 x 8 3/8 in.).

Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

Burchfield drastically altered the church spire in this study for his 1917 watercolor Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night. Here, the tower takes on a wider, more open appearance than in the final drawing. The artist wrote in his private journal for December 1917 that he “wandered between the Baptist and Presbyterian church to hear the bells ring. I ran back to one too late—the other I arrived at in time to hear the last ponderous beats—the whole tower seemed to vibrate with a dull roar afterwards, dying slowly with a growl.”

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.

Location checked Sep 10, 2026. This does not indicate whether the work is on display.

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