Slovenian Painted Beehive Panel, late 19th / early 20th Century

Painted beehive panels, or poslikane panjske končnice in Slovenian, were used to decorate and identify individual beehives within larger communal vertical beehives.

They are often decorated with religious scenes or folk tales. In this example inscribed 'Luther ino Katra' the Protestant reformer and his wife are depicted on a carriage accompanied by devils and pulled by a goat.

It’s a fascinating example of how Counter-Reformation sentiment and religious propaganda trickled down into everyday 19th-century folk humour.

39.5 x 17 cm

To read more about the beehive panels: https://www.worldofinteriors.com/story/painted-beehive-panels-slovenia