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Rite

A work made of oil on canvas.
© The Estate of Philip Guston

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  • A work made of oil on canvas.

Date:

1958

Artist:

Philip Guston
American, born Canada, 1913–1980

About this artwork

In the 1930s, Philip Guston was involved with the mural movement and the work of Mexican artists such as Diego Rivera. On his arrival in New York in 1935–36, he joined the group of artists working for the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Arts Project. He spent the years after World War II developing a personal style that was inspired by both realist and abstract influences. By the early 1950s, he left representational imagery behind entirely, developing a lyrical Abstract Expressionist style that is typified by Rite. His paintings of this period largely consist of irregular blocks of gestural strokes and marks of color floating within the picture plane, often grouped toward the center of the composition. Guston’s most radical shift came in the late 1960s, when he confounded the art world with a new figurative style in which he used blunt cartoon shapes to create a personal iconography.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Contemporary Art

Artist

Philip Guston

Title

Rite

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.

1958

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

121.9 × 162.6 cm (48 × 64 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Society for Contemporary American Art in memory of Beulah Zachary

Reference Number

1959.9

Copyright

© The Estate of Philip Guston

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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