Joseph Stella (American, born Italy, 1877–1946)
A Vision
INV-7604
Joseph Stella (American, born Italy, 1877–1946)1925–26
Modernismoil on canvaspainting
Date
1925–26
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
203.2 × 101.6 cm (80 × 40 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Through prior gift of the Albert Kunstadter Family Foundation
In 1922 Joseph Stella revisited his native Italy and became fascinated by Renaissance painting. After returning to New York, he began to produce detailed, symbolic compositions such as A Vision, which was originally a mural commission. Stella was enthralled by the tropical plants he observed at the Bronx Botanical Garden, and here he imagined a woman growing out of the earth like the exotic flowers on either side of her. This painting’s fantastical subject also aligns it with modern art, particularly the dreamlike imagery of Surrealism.
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