Head-Piece to List of Drawings 1885 - 1888

Will Hicok Low made this watercolor, gouache, and graphite “Head-Piece to List of Drawings” sometime in his career. Low, active in the late 19th century, spent time studying in Paris. There he absorbed the aesthetics of the French academy, but also became a friend of many American artists. This head-piece contains elements of both traditions. The figure, a classical muse, is rendered in exquisite detail. She recalls the traditions of ancient Greece and Rome, which were considered the foundation of academic art. But the stylized background pattern and the flowing lines of the banner are more modern, closer to art nouveau. Low was deeply involved in the American art world as a teacher, muralist, and writer. He helped to shape the institutions of art in the United States, including the Art Institute of Chicago, where this work now resides. Art historians rely on archival sources to piece together the historical context of art, deepening our understanding of its cultural significance.