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Study for the Hall of Medical Sciences Mural at the 1939 World's Fair in New York

A work made of oil on canvas.
© Estate of Ilya Bolotowsky/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY

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  • A work made of oil on canvas.

Date:

1938–39

Artist:

Ilya Bolotowsky (American, born Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire, now Russia, 1907–1981)

About this artwork

A pioneer of abstraction, Ilya Bolotowsky created numerous murals for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project. One of Bolotowsky’s early works, this study for a 1939 mural that was later destroyed shows his intent to create an ideal, balanced composition devoid of a dominant form. Strongly influenced by Joan Miró and later by Piet Mondrian, Bolotowsky sought to achieve compositional harmony in his works. Perhaps in response to the turmoil of the 1930s, American abstract artists looked to nonobjective art as a way to attain a sense of stability and equilibrium.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of the Americas

Artist

Ilya Bolotowsky

Title

Study for the Hall of Medical Sciences Mural at the 1939 World's Fair in New York

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.

c. 1938–1939

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

76.2 × 121.9 cm (30 × 48 in.)

Credit Line

Wilson L. Mead Fund

Reference Number

1977.1

Copyright

© Estate of Ilya Bolotowsky/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY

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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