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The Department of Conservation and Science is responsible for the treatment, research, and long-term preservation of more than 300,000 works of art in the Art Institute’s collections.
New acquisitions strengthen, broaden, and deepen the stories we can share in our galleries. Here are a few of the past year’s most notable newcomers.
Latin America spans two continents and comprises a multitude of cultures, while its arts span millennia and represent a world of artistic styles.
This past year, a tremendous variety of new objects joined the Art Institute’s holdings, each with its own unique story. Here’s a look at some of the notable works acquired in 2022 that enable us to share a more expansive history of art.
Have some of our most popular works resonated with you? Would you like to explore further? If so, our curators are happy to suggest some lesser known works they think you might like.
This colorful glazed earthenware brought Italian Renaissance visual art to the home and dining table.
Get ready for Willem de Kooning Drawing with this primer on the artist and his expansive drawing practice.
Frame conservators Chris Brooks and Kirk Vuillemot consider the origins of a frame that arrived at the museum almost 70 years ago (with a somewhat famous self-portrait).
Look closely at Walter Ellison’s Train Station (1935) to learn about an important chapter in Chicago’s history, the Great Migration, and get new ideas for your own creativity.
Learn about Chicago artist Margaret Burroughs, a Black artist, poet, educator, and activist whose work had a significant impact on Chicago’s cultural scene in the mid-20th century. After taking a close look at Burroughs’s Birthday Party, we hope you’ll be inspired to express yourself through printmaking.
Featuring six artworks from the Art Institute’s collection, each video from SmartHistory can be used as a resource in your teaching or shown in your classroom.
Look closely at the work Alma Thomas, an artist who explored color, light, and the natural world through painting. Learn more about the artist and her work, make art inspired by her example, and explore the work of other artists with connections to Thomas.
