About This Artwork

Designed and executed by Lenore Tawney
American, 1907–2007
United States, New York, New York City

Hanging Entitled "Waters Above the Firmament", 1976

Linen, warp-faced weft-ribbed plain weave with discontinuous wefts; 18th/19th century manuscript pages cut into strips, attached, and painted with Liquitex acrylic paint; braided, knotted, and cut warp fringe
397.6 x 369 cm (156 1/2 x 145 1/4 in.)
H. L. and Mary T. Adams, Harriott A. Fox, and Mrs. Siegfried G. Schmidt endowments; restricted gift of Laurance H. Armour, Jr. and Margot G. Armour Family Foundation, Mrs. William G. Swartchild, Jr., Joan Rosenberg, Joseph W. Fell, and the Textile Society, 1983.203

Exhibition, Publication and Ownership Histories

Exhibition History

The Art Institute of Chicago, Elizabeth F. Cheney and Agnes Allerton Textile Galleries, "Gift, Bequest and Purchase: A Selection of Textile Acquisitions from 1982–1987," March 18–August 14, 1989

The Art Institute of Chicago, Elizabeth F. Cheney and Agnes Allerton Textile Galleries, "Lenore Tawney: A Retrospective," July 26, 1990–October 28, 1990

The Art Institute of Chicago, Elizabeth F. Cheney and Agnes Allerton Textile Galleries, "Textile Masterpieces from the Art Institute of Chicago's Collection," February 17–May 2, 1993

The Art Institute of Chicago, Elizabeth F. Cheney and Agnes Allerton Textile Galleries, "Focus on Fiber Art: Selections from the Growing 20th Century Collection," October 6, 1993–February 27, 1994

Publication History

The Art Institute of Chicago Annual Report 1982–83. Fig. 61, p. 46.

Thurman, Christa C. Mayer. Textiles in The Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago, 1992), pp. 134, 136-137, 149.