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The Grand Arab (He Only Has Sand)

A work made of oil and sand on canvas.
© 2018 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

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  • A work made of oil and sand on canvas.

Date:

1947

Artist:

Jean Dubuffet
French, 1901-1985

About this artwork

Dismayed by the state of society after the brutalities of World War II, Jean Dubuffet looked to nontraditional artistic sources, especially those of non-Western cultures. Beginning in 1947, Dubuffet took three extended trips to the Sahara; based on the art and culture he experienced on these visits, he made a number of works, including The Grand Arab. In 1951 he developed a personal manifesto critiquing the conformity of Western society and delivered his “Anticultural Positions” in a lecture at the Arts Club of Chicago. He urged for a postwar renaissance: “The values celebrated by our culture do not … correspond to the true dynamics of our minds.” His presentation inspired many young artists and collectors in Chicago, who were eager to find new artistic forms that were distinct from the iconic European modernist tradition.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Contemporary Art

Artist

Jean Dubuffet

Title

The Grand Arab (He Only Has Sand)

Place

France (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1947

Medium

Oil and sand on canvas

Inscriptions

Signed, upper left, “J. Dubuffet”

Dimensions

145.4 × 113 cm (57 1/4 × 44 1/2 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph R. Shapiro

Reference Number

1996.391

Copyright

© 2018 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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