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Monet and Chicago
From the 1880s on, Chicago welcomed the 鈥淔ather of Impressionism鈥� with open arms.
When Monet鈥檚 paintings first appeared alongside his contemporaries鈥� in a Chicago gallery in 1888, he was singled out for praise by the press. And when his works were shown in the city again as part of the last Inter-State Industrial Exposition in Chicago (also known as the 鈥淎merican Salon鈥�) in 1890, they not only captured the eye of local collectors鈥攖hey ignited a collective passion.
In 1891, Bertha and Potter Palmer acquired some 20 paintings by Monet鈥� including several from the Stacks of Wheat series鈥攁 fraction of the 90 canvases they would come to own. That year, Martin A. Ryerson, who served as a trustee and eventual vice-president of the Art Institute, bought his first of many paintings by the artist. As president of the Board of Lady Managers for the 1893 World鈥檚 Columbian Exposition, Bertha oversaw the creation of the Woman鈥檚 Building, which housed an exhibition of 129 works from American private collections, including four paintings by Monet. The international fair showcased a city still reimagining itself after the Great Fire of 1871 and one eager to embrace not only the technology but the aesthetics of modernity. And who had a more modern artistic vision than Monet?
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From the 1880s on, Chicago welcomed the 鈥淔ather of Impressionism鈥� with open arms.
When Monet鈥檚 paintings first appeared alongside his contemporaries鈥� in a Chicago gallery in 1888, he was singled out for praise by the press. And when his works were shown in the city again as part of the last Inter-State Industrial Exposition in Chicago (also known as the 鈥淎merican Salon鈥�) in 1890, they not only captured the eye of local collectors鈥攖hey ignited a collective passion.
In 1891, Bertha and Potter Palmer acquired some 20 paintings by Monet鈥� including several from the Stacks of Wheat series鈥攁 fraction of the 90 canvases they would come to own. That year, Martin A. Ryerson, who served as a trustee and eventual vice-president of the Art Institute, bought his first of many paintings by the artist. As president of the Board of Lady Managers for the 1893 World鈥檚 Columbian Exposition, Bertha oversaw the creation of the Woman鈥檚 Building, which housed an exhibition of 129 works from American private collections, including four paintings by Monet. The international fair showcased a city still reimagining itself after the Great Fire of 1871 and one eager to embrace not only the technology but the aesthetics of modernity. And who had a more modern artistic vision than Monet?
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As part of the reopening celebration, Illinois residents can enjoy free admission through August 3.
Each institution reinitiating on-site operations has adopted a set of protocols to keep visitors and staff as safe as possible.
Of the Art Institute鈥檚 33 Monet paintings, just two were purchased by the museum. The rest were donated by local collectors starting in the 1920s.
Fall is upon us! It's a welcome season to embrace new art and fresh exhibitions.
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