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Holiday Photo Ops

6 artworks from 6 artists across 6 galleries
The tour is ordered to begin from the Michigan Avenue entrance. If you are starting in the Modern Wing, simply do your tour in reverse order.

This tour of artworks takes you to some of the museum's prime spots for picture taking. When you're done, share your photos with us on social!

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  • A bronze lion, on the cusp of a roar, seems to step forward on its pedastal in front of the Art Institute of Chicago.

    Lion (One of a Pair, North Pedestal)

    Edward Kemeys

    Michigan Avenue entrance/steps, first level, Exterior

    Iconic guardians of the Art Institute, this lion, along with its southern partner, has stood at the museum's Michigan Avenue entrance since 1894. Modeled by Edward Kemeys, a self-taught artist and the nation’s first great animalier (sculptor of animals), the pair were cast in Chicago and together weigh over four tons. Kemeys referred to the northern lion as “on the prowl,” while the southern one assumes “an attitude of defiance.”

    "Since 1991, on the morning after Thanksgiving, the museum's lions don their festive wreaths, signalling to Chicagoans that the holiday season has begun. Over the years, visitors flock downtown to stand in front of them and capture their holiday picture."

  • Blue stained glass windows depicting angels, musicians, trees.

    America Windows

    Marc Chagall

    Gallery 144, first level, Arts of Asia Galleries

    At the end of World War II, Marc Chagall sought new avenues for artistic experimentation and turned to the medium of stained glass, which allowed him to explore intense color on a monumental scale. This six-panel work, a gift from the artist, merges symbols of American history, the Chicago skyline, and the arts: music, painting, literature, architecture, theater, and dance.

    "Another stained glass treasure of the collection, 'America Windows' was made forever famous in the film 'Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.' Popularly known as the Chagall Windows, the beloved artwork holds a special place in the hearts of Chicagoans."

  • A work made of leaded glass.

    Hartwell Memorial Window

    Tiffany Studios (Firm)

    Gallery 200, second level, Arts of Europe: Painting and Sculpture Galleries

    Designed by Agnes F. Northrop for Tiffany Studios, this 25-foot-tall stained glass window features an idealized view of Mount Chocorua in New Hampshire's White Mountains. The window is composed of 48 panels that are each made up of different glass types and combinations. In some sections the glass is layered up to five layers thick to create the unique colored effects.

    "Taller than a two-story house, this majestic work stands proudly at the top of the Grand Staircase, bathed in the natural light from the space's skylight. The beauty, scale, and location of the window have made it a favorite place for photo memories."

  • A work made of steel, iron, brass, leather, and textile.

    Field Armor for Man

    Gallery 239, second level, Arms and Armor Galleries

    Caught in the heat of battle with sword raised and horse rearing, this mounted figure may match many notions of a knight in shining armor but actually represents a common hired soldier. Though the armors for both man and horse were produced in Nuremberg, Germany, in the 16th century, the clothing was meticulously recreated in 2017 from period designs.

    "This armored soldier and horse—and its counterpart, a tournament rider and horse—are the centerpiece of the Deering Galleries. Visitors of all ages can be seen taking snapshots with these armored showstoppers."

  • Horizontal painting in pastel tones of a series of abstract clouds in a gridlike formation like loose bricks, larger at the bottom of the painting and receding away at a horizon line near the top of the painting. Behind them, a blue sky gets progressively lighter. At the horizon line is a loose pink gradient that progresses to white and returns to blue at the very top of the work.

    Sky above Clouds IV

    Georgia O'Keeffe

    Gallery 249, second level,

    Painted in the summer of 1965, when Georgia O’Keeffe was 77 years old, this monumental work is the final painting in a series the artist made based on her experiences as an airplane passenger. Because of its size and its status as an icon of the museum's collection, the work has not left the Art Institute since it came into the building in 1983.

    "This painting was a gift to the museum from the artist. Stretching 24 feet in length, O'Keeffe's enormous work is one of the museum's most treasured icons, and one of the most popular locations for a selfie."

  • Painting of a woman and an older white man holding a pitchfork, both seen from the waist up. They stand side by side with stern expressions, in front of a white house with a peaked roof.

    American Gothic

    Grant Wood

    Gallery 263, second level, Arts of the Americas Galleries

    One of America’s most famous paintings, American Gothic debuted at the Art Institute of Chicago, winning Grant Wood a $300 prize and instant fame. Wood used his sister and dentist as models, depicting them in front of an 1880s-style house. While the painting is often seen as a satirical commentary on the Midwestern character, Wood intended it to a positive statement about rural American values.

    "From movies to Broadway to popular TV shows like The Simpsons, this painting has seen more parodies than any other in the museum's collection. Visitors also love posing in front of the painting and posting their own recreations on social media."

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