Beehive Front Boards
In the 19th century, bee houses equipped with box-shaped beehives became popular in Carniola, Carinthia, and the northwestern part of Slovenian Styria.
A distinctive feature of the beehives from this region are the painted front boards mounted on the wooden boxes, each with a small entrance hole along the lower edge. The Volkskundemuseum Wien houses more than 230 such painted boards, featuring a wide range of motifs. Religious themes, rural life, satirical scenes, as well as technological innovations and historical events are reflected in these painted depictions.
Beehive front board depicting a bear stealing honey, dated 1892, Rosental, Carinthia, ÖMV/62768Volkskundemuseum Wien / Photo: Christa Knott, CC BY 4.0
This article will be published in English soon.