Skip to Content
Today Open today 11–5

  • Mon 11–5
  • Tue–Wed Closed
  • Thu 11–8
  • Fri–Sun 11–5
  • The first hour of every day, 10–11 a.m., is reserved for member-only viewing.

Canto III 1 #124

A work made of oil pastel and graphite, with incising, on white wove paper.

Image actions

  • A work made of oil pastel and graphite, with incising, on white wove paper.

Date:

1978

Artist:

Jerry Saltz
American, born 1951

About this artwork

Now well known as an art critic based in New York, Saltz dropped out of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to cofound N.A.M.E. Gallery—for years one of Chicago’s most important noncommercial spaces—in 1973. This triptych was inspired by Canto III of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem the Divine Comedy, which takes place in Hell. Though Saltz clearly demonstrated talent, he succumbed to self-doubt and took a hiatus from creating art, working as a truck driver hauling art over long distances (which gave him plenty of time to develop his critical thinking skills).

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Jerry Saltz

Title

Canto III 1 #124

Place

United States (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.

1978

Medium

Oil pastel and graphite, with incising, on white wove paper

Dimensions

56.8 × 76.1 cm (22 3/8 × 30 in.)

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by Mr. and Mrs. Phil Shorr

Reference Number

1979.372

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.

Share

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.
Learn more

Image actions

Share

Suggested Terms