Peter Blume (American, born Smorgon, Russian Empire, now Belarus, 1906–1992)
The Rock
INV-5668
Peter Blume (American, born Smorgon, Russian Empire, now Belarus, 1906–1992)1944–48
SurrealismModernismpaintingmodern and contemporary art
Date
1944–48
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
146.4 × 188.9 cm (57 5/8 × 74 3/8 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Gift of Edgar Kaufmann Jr.
A startling juxtaposition of images, The Rock depicts a shattered red rock resting on top of a base that is being demolished by workers below. Peter Blume labored for years to complete this painting, which was commissioned in 1939 by the Edgar Kaufmann family for Fallingwater, their Frank Lloyd Wright–designed home in Pennsylvania. Although the complex imagery resists easy interpretation, it may point to devastation and reconstruction, reflecting the turbulence of World War II and its aftermath. In the end, The Rock proved too large for Fallingwater and it was never displayed there.
Also notable
Works in the same vein
