Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: In Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, how is the Interpretation discussed?

Picasso drew each of the figures in Les Demoiselles differently. The woman pulling the curtain on the upper right is rendered with heavy paint. Composed of sharp geometric shapes, her head is the most strictly Cubist of all five. The curtain seems to blend partially into her body. The Cubist head of the crouching figure (lower right) underwent at least two revisions from an Iberian figure to its current state. She also seems to have been drawn from two different perspectives at once, creating a confusing, twisted figure. The woman above her is rather manly, with a dark face and square chest. The whole picture is in a two-dimensional style, with an abandoned perspective.Much of the critical debate that has taken place over the years centers on attempting to account for this multiplicity of styles within the work. The dominant understanding for over five decades, espoused most notably by Alfred Barr, the first director of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and organizer of major career retrospectives for the artist, has been that it can be interpreted as evidence of a transitional period in Picasso's art, an effort to connect his earlier work to Cubism, the style he would help invent and develop over the next five or six years. Suzanne Preston Blier says that the divergent styles of the painting were added intentionally to convey to each women art "style" attributes from the five geographic areas each woman represents.Art critic John Berger, in his controversial 1965 biography The Success and Failure of Picasso, interprets Les Demoiselles d'Avignon as the provocation that led to Cubism:Blunted by the insolence of so much recent art, we probably tend to underestimate the brutality of the Les Demoiselles d'Avignon. All his friends who saw it in his studio were at first shocked by it. And it was meant to shock…A brothel may not in itself be shocking. But women painted without charm or sadness, without irony or social comment, women painted like the palings of a stockade through eyes that look out as if at death – that is shocking. And equally the method of painting. Picasso himself has said that he was influenced at the time by archaic Spanish (Iberian) sculpture. He was also influenced – particularly in the two heads at the right – by African masks…here it seems that Picasso's quotations are simple, direct, and emotional. He is not in the least concerned with formal problems. The dislocations in this picture are the result of aggression, not aesthetics; it is the nearest you can get in a painting to an outrage…I emphasize the violent and iconoclastic aspect of this painting because it is usually enshrined as the great formal exercise which was the starting point of Cubism. It was the starting point of Cubism, in so far as it prompted Braque to begin painting at the end of the year his own far more formal answer to Les Demoiselles d'Avignon…yet if he had been left to himself, this picture would never have led Picasso to Cubism or to any way of painting remotely resembling it…It has nothing to do with that twentieth-century vision of the future which was the essence of Cubism.Yet it did provoke the beginning of the great period of exception in Picasso's life. Nobody can know exactly how the change began inside Picasso. We can only note the results. Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, unlike any previous painting by Picasso, offers no evidence of skill. On the contrary, it is clumsy, overworked, unfinished. It is as though his fury in painting it was so great that it destroyed his gifts…By painting Les Demoiselles d'Avignon Picasso provoked Cubism. It was the spontaneous and, as always, primitive insurrection out of which, for good historical reasons, the revolution of Cubism developed.Art historian and professor Anna C. Chave agrees with Berger that Les Demoiselles d'Avignon can be taken as the catalyst for the style of Cubism in her 1994 article, New Encounters with Les Desmoiselles d'Avignon: Gender, Race, and the Origins of Cubism. Chave also gives an interesting new perspective on the piece in her article, that of a woman, which stands in stark contrast to the numerous other reviews of the painting provided by men. Additionally, her article focuses not only on the work itself but also on the critiques and assessments of it that have emerged in the decades since it was initially displayed, prompting readers to think deeply about what reactions to the painting say about viewers and society at large.In 1972, art critic Leo Steinberg in his essay The Philosophical Brothel posited a wholly different explanation for the wide range of stylistic attributes. Using the earlier sketches—which had been ignored by most critics—he argued that far from evidence of an artist undergoing a rapid stylistic metamorphosis, the variety of styles can be read as a deliberate attempt, a careful plan, to capture the gaze of the viewer. He notes that the five women all seem eerily disconnected, indeed wholly unaware of each other. Rather, they focus solely on the viewer, their divergent styles only furthering the intensity of their glare.The earliest sketches feature two men inside the brothel; a sailor and a medical student (who was often depicted holding either a book or a skull, causing Barr and others to read the painting as a memento mori, a reminder of death). A trace of their presence at a table in the center remains: the jutting edge of a table near the bottom of the canvas. The viewer, Steinberg says, has come to replace the sitting men, forced to confront the gaze of prostitutes head on, invoking readings far more complex than a simple allegory or the autobiographical reading that attempts to understand the work in relation to Picasso's own history with women. A world of meanings then becomes possible, suggesting the work as a meditation on the danger of sex, the "trauma of the gaze" (to use a phrase of Rosalind Krauss's invention), and the threat of violence inherent in the scene and sexual relations at large.According to Steinberg, the reversed gaze, that is, the fact that the figures look directly at the viewer, as well as the idea of the self-possessed woman, no longer there solely for the pleasure of the male gaze, may be traced back to Manet's Olympia of 1863. William Rubin (1927–2006), the former director of the Department of Painting and Sculpture at MoMA wrote that "Steinberg was the first writer to come to grips with the sexual subject of the Demoiselles."A few years after writing The Philosophical Brothel, Steinberg wrote further about the revolutionary nature of Les Demoiselles:Picasso was resolved to undo the continuities of form and field which Western art had so long taken for granted. The famous stylistic rupture at right turned out to be merely a consummation. Overnight, the contrived coherences of representational art - the feigned unities of time and place, the stylistic consistencies - all were declared to be fictional. The Demoiselles confessed itself a picture conceived in duration and delivered in spasms. In this one work Picasso discovered that the demands of discontinuity could be met on multiple levels: by cleaving depicted flesh; by elision of limbs and abbreviation; by slashing the web of connecting space; by abrupt changes of vantage; and by a sudden stylistic shift at the climax. Finally, the insistent staccato of the presentation was found to intensify the picture's address and symbolic charge: the beholder, instead of observing a roomfuI of lazing whores, is targeted from all sides. So far from suppressing the subject, the mode of organization heightens its flagrant eroticism.At the end of the first volume of his four volume Picasso biography: A Life Of Picasso. The Prodigy, 1881–1906, John Richardson comments on Les Demoiselles. Richardson says:It is at this point, the beginning of 1907, that I propose to bring this first volume to an end. The 25-year-old Picasso is about to conjure up a quintet of Dionysiac Demoiselles on his huge new canvas. The execution of this painting would make a dramatic climax to these pages. However, it would imply that Picasso's great revolutionary work constitutes a conclusion to all that has gone before. It does not. For all that the Demoiselles is rooted in Picasso's past, not to speak of such precursors as the Iron Age Iberians, El Greco, Gauguin and Cézanne, it is essentially a beginning: the most innovative painting since Giotto. As we will see in the next volume, it established a new pictorial syntax; it enabled people to perceive things with new eyes, new minds, new awareness. Les Demoiselles d'Avignon is the first unequivocally 20th-century masterpiece, a principal detonator of the modern movement, the cornerstone of 20th-century art. For Picasso it would also be a rite of passage: what he called an exorcism.' It cleared the way for cubism. It likewise banished the artist's demons. Later, these demons would return and require further exorcism. For the next decade, however, Picasso would feel as free and creative and 'as overworked' as God.Suzanne Preston Blier addresses the history and meaning of Les Demoiselles d’Avignon in a 2019 book in a different way, one that draws on her African art expertise and an array of newly discovered sources she unearthed. Blier addresses the painting not as a simple bordello scene but as Picasso's interpretation of the diversity of women from around the world that Picasso encountered in part through photographs and sculptures seen in illustrated books. These representations, Blier argues, are central to understanding the painting's creation and help identify the demoiselles as global figures – mothers, grandmothers, lovers, and sisters, living the colonial world Picasso inhabited. She says that Picasso has reunited these diverse women together in this strange cave-like (and womb-resembling) setting as a kind of global "time machine" – each woman referencing a different era, place of origins, and concomitant artistic style, as part of the broader "ages of man" theme important to the new century, in which core themes of evolution took on an increasingly important role. The two men (a sailor and a doctor) depicted in some of the painting's earlier preparatory drawings, Blier suggests, likely represent the male authors of two of the illustrated books that Picasso employed – the anthropologist Leo Frobenius as sailor, one travels the world to. explore various ports of call and the Vienna medical doctor, Karl Heinrich Stratz who holds a human skull or book consistent with the detailed anatomical studies that he provides.Blier is able to date the painting to late March 1907 directly following the opening of the Salon des Independents where Matisse and Derain had exhibited their own bold, emotionally charged "origins"-themed tableaux. The large scale of the canvas, Blier says, complements the important scientific and historical theme. The reunion of the mothers of each "race" within this human evolutionary framework, Blier maintains, also constitutes the larger "philosophy" behind the painting's original le bordel philosophique title – evoking the potent "mess" and "complex situation" (le bordel) that Picasso was exploring in this work. In contrast to Leo Steinberg and William Rubin who argued that Picasso had effaced the two right hand demoiselles to repaint their faces with African masks in response to a crisis stemming from larger fears of death or women, an early photograph of the painting in Picasso's studio, Blier shows, indicates that the artist had portrayed African masks on these women from the outset consistent with their identities as progenitors of these races. Blier argues that the painting was largely completed in a single night following a debate about philosophy with friends at a local Paris brasserie.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: Focus on Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and explain the Purchase.

Jacques Doucet had seen the painting at the Salon d'Antin, yet remarkably seems to have purchased Les Demoiselles without asking Picasso to unroll it in his studio so that he could see it again. André Breton later described the transaction:I remember the day he bought the painting from Picasso, who strange as it may seem, appeared to be intimidated by Doucet and even offered no resistance when the price was set at 25,000 francs: "Well then, it's agreed, M. Picasso." Doucet then said: "You shall receive 2,000 francs per month, beginning next month, until the sum of 25,000 francs is reached.John Richardson quotes Breton in a letter to Doucet about Les Demoiselles writing: through it one penetrates right into the core of Picasso's laboratory and because it is the crux of the drama, the center of all the conflicts that Picasso has given rise to and that will last forever....It is a work which to my mind transcends painting; it is the theater of everything that has happened in the last 50 years.Ultimately, it seems Doucet paid 30,000 francs rather than the agreed price. A few months after the purchase Doucet had the painting appraised at between 250,000 and 300,000 francs. Richardson speculates that Picasso, who by 1924 was on the top of the art world and did not need to sell the painting to Doucet, did so and at that low price because Doucet promised Les Demoiselles would go to the Louvre in his will. However, after Doucet died in 1929 he did not leave the painting to the Louvre in his will, and it was sold like most of Doucet's collection through private dealers.In November 1937 the Jacques Seligman & Co. art gallery in New York City held an exhibition titled "20 Years in the Evolution of Picasso, 1903–1923" that included Les Demoiselles. The Museum of Modern Art acquired the painting for $24,000. The museum raised $18,000 toward the purchase price by selling a Degas painting and the rest came from donations from the co-owners of the gallery Germain Seligman and Cesar de Hauke.The Museum of Modern Art in New York City mounted an important Picasso exhibition on 15 November 1939 that remained on view until 7 January 1940. The exhibition, entitled Picasso: 40 Years of His Art, was organized by Alfred H. Barr (1902–1981), in collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago. The exhibition contained 344 works, including the major 1937 painting Guernica and its studies, as well as Les Demoiselles.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: Explain the Purchase of this artwork, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon.

Jacques Doucet had seen the painting at the Salon d'Antin, yet remarkably seems to have purchased Les Demoiselles without asking Picasso to unroll it in his studio so that he could see it again. André Breton later described the transaction:I remember the day he bought the painting from Picasso, who strange as it may seem, appeared to be intimidated by Doucet and even offered no resistance when the price was set at 25,000 francs: "Well then, it's agreed, M. Picasso." Doucet then said: "You shall receive 2,000 francs per month, beginning next month, until the sum of 25,000 francs is reached.John Richardson quotes Breton in a letter to Doucet about Les Demoiselles writing: through it one penetrates right into the core of Picasso's laboratory and because it is the crux of the drama, the center of all the conflicts that Picasso has given rise to and that will last forever....It is a work which to my mind transcends painting; it is the theater of everything that has happened in the last 50 years.Ultimately, it seems Doucet paid 30,000 francs rather than the agreed price. A few months after the purchase Doucet had the painting appraised at between 250,000 and 300,000 francs. Richardson speculates that Picasso, who by 1924 was on the top of the art world and did not need to sell the painting to Doucet, did so and at that low price because Doucet promised Les Demoiselles would go to the Louvre in his will. However, after Doucet died in 1929 he did not leave the painting to the Louvre in his will, and it was sold like most of Doucet's collection through private dealers.In November 1937 the Jacques Seligman & Co. art gallery in New York City held an exhibition titled "20 Years in the Evolution of Picasso, 1903–1923" that included Les Demoiselles. The Museum of Modern Art acquired the painting for $24,000. The museum raised $18,000 toward the purchase price by selling a Degas painting and the rest came from donations from the co-owners of the gallery Germain Seligman and Cesar de Hauke.The Museum of Modern Art in New York City mounted an important Picasso exhibition on 15 November 1939 that remained on view until 7 January 1940. The exhibition, entitled Picasso: 40 Years of His Art, was organized by Alfred H. Barr (1902–1981), in collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago. The exhibition contained 344 works, including the major 1937 painting Guernica and its studies, as well as Les Demoiselles.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: How does Les Demoiselles d'Avignon explain its Purchase?

Jacques Doucet had seen the painting at the Salon d'Antin, yet remarkably seems to have purchased Les Demoiselles without asking Picasso to unroll it in his studio so that he could see it again. André Breton later described the transaction:I remember the day he bought the painting from Picasso, who strange as it may seem, appeared to be intimidated by Doucet and even offered no resistance when the price was set at 25,000 francs: "Well then, it's agreed, M. Picasso." Doucet then said: "You shall receive 2,000 francs per month, beginning next month, until the sum of 25,000 francs is reached.John Richardson quotes Breton in a letter to Doucet about Les Demoiselles writing: through it one penetrates right into the core of Picasso's laboratory and because it is the crux of the drama, the center of all the conflicts that Picasso has given rise to and that will last forever....It is a work which to my mind transcends painting; it is the theater of everything that has happened in the last 50 years.Ultimately, it seems Doucet paid 30,000 francs rather than the agreed price. A few months after the purchase Doucet had the painting appraised at between 250,000 and 300,000 francs. Richardson speculates that Picasso, who by 1924 was on the top of the art world and did not need to sell the painting to Doucet, did so and at that low price because Doucet promised Les Demoiselles would go to the Louvre in his will. However, after Doucet died in 1929 he did not leave the painting to the Louvre in his will, and it was sold like most of Doucet's collection through private dealers.In November 1937 the Jacques Seligman & Co. art gallery in New York City held an exhibition titled "20 Years in the Evolution of Picasso, 1903–1923" that included Les Demoiselles. The Museum of Modern Art acquired the painting for $24,000. The museum raised $18,000 toward the purchase price by selling a Degas painting and the rest came from donations from the co-owners of the gallery Germain Seligman and Cesar de Hauke.The Museum of Modern Art in New York City mounted an important Picasso exhibition on 15 November 1939 that remained on view until 7 January 1940. The exhibition, entitled Picasso: 40 Years of His Art, was organized by Alfred H. Barr (1902–1981), in collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago. The exhibition contained 344 works, including the major 1937 painting Guernica and its studies, as well as Les Demoiselles.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: In Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, how is the Purchase discussed?

Jacques Doucet had seen the painting at the Salon d'Antin, yet remarkably seems to have purchased Les Demoiselles without asking Picasso to unroll it in his studio so that he could see it again. André Breton later described the transaction:I remember the day he bought the painting from Picasso, who strange as it may seem, appeared to be intimidated by Doucet and even offered no resistance when the price was set at 25,000 francs: "Well then, it's agreed, M. Picasso." Doucet then said: "You shall receive 2,000 francs per month, beginning next month, until the sum of 25,000 francs is reached.John Richardson quotes Breton in a letter to Doucet about Les Demoiselles writing: through it one penetrates right into the core of Picasso's laboratory and because it is the crux of the drama, the center of all the conflicts that Picasso has given rise to and that will last forever....It is a work which to my mind transcends painting; it is the theater of everything that has happened in the last 50 years.Ultimately, it seems Doucet paid 30,000 francs rather than the agreed price. A few months after the purchase Doucet had the painting appraised at between 250,000 and 300,000 francs. Richardson speculates that Picasso, who by 1924 was on the top of the art world and did not need to sell the painting to Doucet, did so and at that low price because Doucet promised Les Demoiselles would go to the Louvre in his will. However, after Doucet died in 1929 he did not leave the painting to the Louvre in his will, and it was sold like most of Doucet's collection through private dealers.In November 1937 the Jacques Seligman & Co. art gallery in New York City held an exhibition titled "20 Years in the Evolution of Picasso, 1903–1923" that included Les Demoiselles. The Museum of Modern Art acquired the painting for $24,000. The museum raised $18,000 toward the purchase price by selling a Degas painting and the rest came from donations from the co-owners of the gallery Germain Seligman and Cesar de Hauke.The Museum of Modern Art in New York City mounted an important Picasso exhibition on 15 November 1939 that remained on view until 7 January 1940. The exhibition, entitled Picasso: 40 Years of His Art, was organized by Alfred H. Barr (1902–1981), in collaboration with the Art Institute of Chicago. The exhibition contained 344 works, including the major 1937 painting Guernica and its studies, as well as Les Demoiselles.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: Focus on Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and explain the Legacy.

In July 2007, Newsweek published a two-page article about Les Demoiselles d'Avignon describing it as the "most influential work of art of the last 100 years". Art critic Holland Cotter argued that Picasso "changed history with this work. He'd replaced the benign ideal of the Classical nude with a new race of sexually armed and dangerous beings."The painting is prominently featured in the 1993 Steve Martin play Picasso at the Lapin Agile, about a fictional meeting of the young Picasso and Albert Einstein in a Paris cafe, and in the 2018 season of the television series Genius, which focuses on Picasso's life and work.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: Explain the Legacy of this artwork, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon.

In July 2007, Newsweek published a two-page article about Les Demoiselles d'Avignon describing it as the "most influential work of art of the last 100 years". Art critic Holland Cotter argued that Picasso "changed history with this work. He'd replaced the benign ideal of the Classical nude with a new race of sexually armed and dangerous beings."The painting is prominently featured in the 1993 Steve Martin play Picasso at the Lapin Agile, about a fictional meeting of the young Picasso and Albert Einstein in a Paris cafe, and in the 2018 season of the television series Genius, which focuses on Picasso's life and work.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: How does Les Demoiselles d'Avignon explain its Legacy?

In July 2007, Newsweek published a two-page article about Les Demoiselles d'Avignon describing it as the "most influential work of art of the last 100 years". Art critic Holland Cotter argued that Picasso "changed history with this work. He'd replaced the benign ideal of the Classical nude with a new race of sexually armed and dangerous beings."The painting is prominently featured in the 1993 Steve Martin play Picasso at the Lapin Agile, about a fictional meeting of the young Picasso and Albert Einstein in a Paris cafe, and in the 2018 season of the television series Genius, which focuses on Picasso's life and work.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: In Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, how is the Legacy discussed?

In July 2007, Newsweek published a two-page article about Les Demoiselles d'Avignon describing it as the "most influential work of art of the last 100 years". Art critic Holland Cotter argued that Picasso "changed history with this work. He'd replaced the benign ideal of the Classical nude with a new race of sexually armed and dangerous beings."The painting is prominently featured in the 1993 Steve Martin play Picasso at the Lapin Agile, about a fictional meeting of the young Picasso and Albert Einstein in a Paris cafe, and in the 2018 season of the television series Genius, which focuses on Picasso's life and work.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: Focus on Les Demoiselles d'Avignon and explain the Painting materials.

In 2003, an examination of the painting by x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy performed by conservators at the Museum of Modern Art confirmed the presence of the following pigments: lead white, bone black, vermilion, cadmium yellow, cobalt blue, emerald green, and native earth pigments (such as brown ochre) that contain iron.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: Explain the Painting materials of this artwork, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon.

In 2003, an examination of the painting by x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy performed by conservators at the Museum of Modern Art confirmed the presence of the following pigments: lead white, bone black, vermilion, cadmium yellow, cobalt blue, emerald green, and native earth pigments (such as brown ochre) that contain iron.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: How does Les Demoiselles d'Avignon explain its Painting materials?

In 2003, an examination of the painting by x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy performed by conservators at the Museum of Modern Art confirmed the presence of the following pigments: lead white, bone black, vermilion, cadmium yellow, cobalt blue, emerald green, and native earth pigments (such as brown ochre) that contain iron.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Prompt: In Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, how is the Painting materials discussed?

In 2003, an examination of the painting by x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy performed by conservators at the Museum of Modern Art confirmed the presence of the following pigments: lead white, bone black, vermilion, cadmium yellow, cobalt blue, emerald green, and native earth pigments (such as brown ochre) that contain iron.

Pablo Picasso, ''Nu aux bras levés (Nude),'' 1907

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Femme nue'', oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano

An illustration from Jouffret's ''Traité élémentaire de géométrie à quatre dimensions''. The book, which influenced Picasso, was given to him by Princet.

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure upper right).jpg

Category:Paintings in the Museum of Modern Art (New York City)

Pablo Picasso, 1907, ''Nu à la serviette'', oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery), oil on canvas, 61.4 x 47.6 cm, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.jpg

File:Le Grand Baigneur, par Paul Cézanne, Yorck.jpg

File:Jacques Doucet's hôtel particulier, 33 rue Saint-James, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1929 photograph Pierre Legrain.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Femme nue, oil on canvas, 92 x 43 cm, Museo delle Culture, Milano.jpg

File:Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika. Table II..jpg

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the lower right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon (detail, figure lower right).jpg

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope

Pablo Picasso, ''Head of a Sleeping Woman (Study for Nude with Drapery)'', 1907, oil on canvas, 61.4 × 47.6 cm, The [[Museum of Modern Art

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon}}, detail of the figure to the upper right

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu à la serviette, oil on canvas, 116 x 89 cm.jpg

File:Pablo Picasso, 1907, Nu aux bras levés (Nude).jpg

Congo masks published by Leo Frobenius in his 1898 book ''Die Masken und Geheimbunde Afrika''


Cloud Gate

Prompt: Focus on Cloud Gate and explain the abstract.

Cloud Gate is a public sculpture by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, that is the centerpiece of Grainger Plaza at Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago. Constructed between 2004 and 2006, the sculpture is nicknamed "The Bean" because of its shape, a name Kapoor later grew fond of. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its reflective and highly polished exterior has no visible seams. It measures 33 by 66 by 42 feet (10 by 20 by 13 m), and weighs 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons). The sculpture and its plaza are located above Park Grill, between the Chase Promenade and McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink.Kapoor's design was inspired by liquid mercury and the sculpture's surface reflects and distorts the city's skyline and clouds moving overhead. Visitors are able to walk around and under Cloud Gate's 12-foot (3.7 m) high arch. On the underside is the "omphalos" (Greek for "navel"), a concave chamber that warps and multiplies reflections. The sculpture builds upon many of Kapoor's artistic themes, and it is popular with tourists as a photo-taking opportunity for its unique reflective properties.The sculpture was the result of a design competition. After Kapoor's design was chosen, numerous technological concerns regarding the design's construction and assembly arose, in addition to concerns regarding the sculpture's upkeep and maintenance. Various experts were consulted, some of whom believed the design could not be implemented. Eventually, a feasible method was found, but the sculpture's construction fell behind schedule. It was unveiled in an incomplete form during the Millennium Park grand opening celebration in 2004, before being concealed again while it was completed. Cloud Gate was formally dedicated on May 15, 2006, and has since gained considerable popularity, both domestically and internationally.

Category:2006 establishments in Illinois

alt=A large white tent sits on the roof of a cafe building set in front of a skyscraper and blue sky.

In 2004, the first of two internal support rings for the sculpture was erected in [[Millennium Park

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers

Category:Stainless steel sculptures in the United States

Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank

alt=A crane lifts a large, oval-shaped ring in front of several large buildings

Category:British contemporary works of art

The design was inspired by liquid [[mercury (element)

Category:Buildings and structures celebrating the third millennium

A tent was erected to cover ''Cloud Gate'' while it was being polished in 2004 and 2005.

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2006


Cloud Gate

Prompt: Explain the abstract of this artwork, Cloud Gate.

Cloud Gate is a public sculpture by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, that is the centerpiece of Grainger Plaza at Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago. Constructed between 2004 and 2006, the sculpture is nicknamed "The Bean" because of its shape, a name Kapoor later grew fond of. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its reflective and highly polished exterior has no visible seams. It measures 33 by 66 by 42 feet (10 by 20 by 13 m), and weighs 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons). The sculpture and its plaza are located above Park Grill, between the Chase Promenade and McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink.Kapoor's design was inspired by liquid mercury and the sculpture's surface reflects and distorts the city's skyline and clouds moving overhead. Visitors are able to walk around and under Cloud Gate's 12-foot (3.7 m) high arch. On the underside is the "omphalos" (Greek for "navel"), a concave chamber that warps and multiplies reflections. The sculpture builds upon many of Kapoor's artistic themes, and it is popular with tourists as a photo-taking opportunity for its unique reflective properties.The sculpture was the result of a design competition. After Kapoor's design was chosen, numerous technological concerns regarding the design's construction and assembly arose, in addition to concerns regarding the sculpture's upkeep and maintenance. Various experts were consulted, some of whom believed the design could not be implemented. Eventually, a feasible method was found, but the sculpture's construction fell behind schedule. It was unveiled in an incomplete form during the Millennium Park grand opening celebration in 2004, before being concealed again while it was completed. Cloud Gate was formally dedicated on May 15, 2006, and has since gained considerable popularity, both domestically and internationally.

Category:2006 establishments in Illinois

alt=A large white tent sits on the roof of a cafe building set in front of a skyscraper and blue sky.

In 2004, the first of two internal support rings for the sculpture was erected in [[Millennium Park

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers

Category:Stainless steel sculptures in the United States

Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank

alt=A crane lifts a large, oval-shaped ring in front of several large buildings

Category:British contemporary works of art

The design was inspired by liquid [[mercury (element)

Category:Buildings and structures celebrating the third millennium

A tent was erected to cover ''Cloud Gate'' while it was being polished in 2004 and 2005.

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2006


Cloud Gate

Prompt: How does Cloud Gate explain its abstract?

Cloud Gate is a public sculpture by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, that is the centerpiece of Grainger Plaza at Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago. Constructed between 2004 and 2006, the sculpture is nicknamed "The Bean" because of its shape, a name Kapoor later grew fond of. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its reflective and highly polished exterior has no visible seams. It measures 33 by 66 by 42 feet (10 by 20 by 13 m), and weighs 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons). The sculpture and its plaza are located above Park Grill, between the Chase Promenade and McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink.Kapoor's design was inspired by liquid mercury and the sculpture's surface reflects and distorts the city's skyline and clouds moving overhead. Visitors are able to walk around and under Cloud Gate's 12-foot (3.7 m) high arch. On the underside is the "omphalos" (Greek for "navel"), a concave chamber that warps and multiplies reflections. The sculpture builds upon many of Kapoor's artistic themes, and it is popular with tourists as a photo-taking opportunity for its unique reflective properties.The sculpture was the result of a design competition. After Kapoor's design was chosen, numerous technological concerns regarding the design's construction and assembly arose, in addition to concerns regarding the sculpture's upkeep and maintenance. Various experts were consulted, some of whom believed the design could not be implemented. Eventually, a feasible method was found, but the sculpture's construction fell behind schedule. It was unveiled in an incomplete form during the Millennium Park grand opening celebration in 2004, before being concealed again while it was completed. Cloud Gate was formally dedicated on May 15, 2006, and has since gained considerable popularity, both domestically and internationally.

Category:2006 establishments in Illinois

alt=A large white tent sits on the roof of a cafe building set in front of a skyscraper and blue sky.

In 2004, the first of two internal support rings for the sculpture was erected in [[Millennium Park

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers

Category:Stainless steel sculptures in the United States

Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank

alt=A crane lifts a large, oval-shaped ring in front of several large buildings

Category:British contemporary works of art

The design was inspired by liquid [[mercury (element)

Category:Buildings and structures celebrating the third millennium

A tent was erected to cover ''Cloud Gate'' while it was being polished in 2004 and 2005.

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2006


Cloud Gate

Prompt: In Cloud Gate, how is the abstract discussed?

Cloud Gate is a public sculpture by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, that is the centerpiece of Grainger Plaza at Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago. Constructed between 2004 and 2006, the sculpture is nicknamed "The Bean" because of its shape, a name Kapoor later grew fond of. Made up of 168 stainless steel plates welded together, its reflective and highly polished exterior has no visible seams. It measures 33 by 66 by 42 feet (10 by 20 by 13 m), and weighs 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons). The sculpture and its plaza are located above Park Grill, between the Chase Promenade and McCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice Rink.Kapoor's design was inspired by liquid mercury and the sculpture's surface reflects and distorts the city's skyline and clouds moving overhead. Visitors are able to walk around and under Cloud Gate's 12-foot (3.7 m) high arch. On the underside is the "omphalos" (Greek for "navel"), a concave chamber that warps and multiplies reflections. The sculpture builds upon many of Kapoor's artistic themes, and it is popular with tourists as a photo-taking opportunity for its unique reflective properties.The sculpture was the result of a design competition. After Kapoor's design was chosen, numerous technological concerns regarding the design's construction and assembly arose, in addition to concerns regarding the sculpture's upkeep and maintenance. Various experts were consulted, some of whom believed the design could not be implemented. Eventually, a feasible method was found, but the sculpture's construction fell behind schedule. It was unveiled in an incomplete form during the Millennium Park grand opening celebration in 2004, before being concealed again while it was completed. Cloud Gate was formally dedicated on May 15, 2006, and has since gained considerable popularity, both domestically and internationally.

Category:2006 establishments in Illinois

alt=A large white tent sits on the roof of a cafe building set in front of a skyscraper and blue sky.

In 2004, the first of two internal support rings for the sculpture was erected in [[Millennium Park

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers

Category:Stainless steel sculptures in the United States

Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank

alt=A crane lifts a large, oval-shaped ring in front of several large buildings

Category:British contemporary works of art

The design was inspired by liquid [[mercury (element)

Category:Buildings and structures celebrating the third millennium

A tent was erected to cover ''Cloud Gate'' while it was being polished in 2004 and 2005.

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2006


Cloud Gate

Prompt: Focus on Cloud Gate and explain the Design.

Lying between Lake Michigan to the east and the Loop to the west, Grant Park has served as Chicago's “front yard” since the mid-19th century. Its northwest corner, north of Monroe Street and the Art Institute, east of Michigan Avenue, south of Randolph Street, and west of Columbus Drive, had been Illinois Central rail yards and parking lots until 1997, when it was made available for development by the city as Millennium Park. For 2007, the park was Chicago's second largest tourist attraction, trailing only Navy Pier.In 1999, Millennium Park officials and a group of art collectors, curators and architects reviewed the artistic works of 30 different artists and asked two for proposals. American artist Jeff Koons submitted a proposal to erect a permanent 150-foot (46 m) sculpture of a playground slide; his glass and steel design featured an observation deck 90 feet (27 m) above the ground that was accessible via an elevator. The committee chose the second design by internationally acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor. Measuring 33 by 66 by 42 feet (10 by 20 by 13 m) and weighing 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons), the proposal featured a seamless, stainless steel surface inspired by liquid mercury. This mirror-like surface would reflect the Chicago skyline, but its elliptical shape would distort and twist the reflected image.In the underside of the sculpture is the omphalos, an indentation whose mirrored surface provides multiple reflections of any subject situated beneath it. The apex of the omphalos is 27 feet (8.2 m) above the ground. The concave underside allows visitors to walk underneath to see the omphalos, and through its arch to the other side so that they view the entire structure. During the grand opening week in July 2004, press reports described the omphalos as the "spoon-like underbelly". The stainless steel sculpture was originally envisioned as the centerpiece of the Lurie Garden at the southeast corner of the park. However, Park officials believed the piece was too large for the Lurie Garden and decided to locate it at what is now known as Grainger Plaza, despite Kapoor's objections. Skyscrapers to the north along East Randolph Street, including The Heritage, the Smurfit-Stone Building, Two Prudential Plaza, One Prudential Plaza, and Aon Center are visible, reflected on both the east and west sides of the sculpture.around the structure, its surface acts like a fun-house mirror as it distorts their reflections.Although Kapoor does not draw with computers, computer modeling was essential to the process of analyzing the complex form, which created numerous issues. Since the sculpture was expected to be outdoors, concerns arose that it might retain and conduct heat in a way that would make it too hot to touch during the summer and so cold that one's tongue might stick to it during the winter. The extreme temperature variation between seasons was also feared to weaken the structure. Graffiti, bird droppings and fingerprints were also potential problems, as they would affect the aesthetics of the surface. The most pressing issue was the need to create a single seamless exterior for the external shell, a feat architect Norman Foster once believed to be nearly impossible.While the sculpture was being constructed, public and media outlets nicknamed it "The Bean" because of its shape, a name that Kapoor described as "completely stupid". Months later, Kapoor officially named the piece Cloud Gate. (Kapoor eventually accepted the nickname of "The Bean".) Critical reviews describe the sculpture as a passage between realms. Three-quarters of the sculpture's external surface reflects the sky and the name refers to it acting as a type of gate that helps bridge the space between the sky and the viewer. In 2008, the sculpture and plaza were sometimes referred to jointly as "Cloud Gate on the AT&T Plaza" (as Grainger Plaza was then called). It is Kapoor's first public outdoor work in the United States, and is the work by which he is best known in the country according to the Financial Times.

Category:2006 establishments in Illinois

alt=A large white tent sits on the roof of a cafe building set in front of a skyscraper and blue sky.

In 2004, the first of two internal support rings for the sculpture was erected in [[Millennium Park

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers

Category:Stainless steel sculptures in the United States

Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank

alt=A crane lifts a large, oval-shaped ring in front of several large buildings

Category:British contemporary works of art

The design was inspired by liquid [[mercury (element)

Category:Buildings and structures celebrating the third millennium

A tent was erected to cover ''Cloud Gate'' while it was being polished in 2004 and 2005.

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2006


Cloud Gate

Prompt: Explain the Design of this artwork, Cloud Gate.

Lying between Lake Michigan to the east and the Loop to the west, Grant Park has served as Chicago's “front yard” since the mid-19th century. Its northwest corner, north of Monroe Street and the Art Institute, east of Michigan Avenue, south of Randolph Street, and west of Columbus Drive, had been Illinois Central rail yards and parking lots until 1997, when it was made available for development by the city as Millennium Park. For 2007, the park was Chicago's second largest tourist attraction, trailing only Navy Pier.In 1999, Millennium Park officials and a group of art collectors, curators and architects reviewed the artistic works of 30 different artists and asked two for proposals. American artist Jeff Koons submitted a proposal to erect a permanent 150-foot (46 m) sculpture of a playground slide; his glass and steel design featured an observation deck 90 feet (27 m) above the ground that was accessible via an elevator. The committee chose the second design by internationally acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor. Measuring 33 by 66 by 42 feet (10 by 20 by 13 m) and weighing 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons), the proposal featured a seamless, stainless steel surface inspired by liquid mercury. This mirror-like surface would reflect the Chicago skyline, but its elliptical shape would distort and twist the reflected image.In the underside of the sculpture is the omphalos, an indentation whose mirrored surface provides multiple reflections of any subject situated beneath it. The apex of the omphalos is 27 feet (8.2 m) above the ground. The concave underside allows visitors to walk underneath to see the omphalos, and through its arch to the other side so that they view the entire structure. During the grand opening week in July 2004, press reports described the omphalos as the "spoon-like underbelly". The stainless steel sculpture was originally envisioned as the centerpiece of the Lurie Garden at the southeast corner of the park. However, Park officials believed the piece was too large for the Lurie Garden and decided to locate it at what is now known as Grainger Plaza, despite Kapoor's objections. Skyscrapers to the north along East Randolph Street, including The Heritage, the Smurfit-Stone Building, Two Prudential Plaza, One Prudential Plaza, and Aon Center are visible, reflected on both the east and west sides of the sculpture.around the structure, its surface acts like a fun-house mirror as it distorts their reflections.Although Kapoor does not draw with computers, computer modeling was essential to the process of analyzing the complex form, which created numerous issues. Since the sculpture was expected to be outdoors, concerns arose that it might retain and conduct heat in a way that would make it too hot to touch during the summer and so cold that one's tongue might stick to it during the winter. The extreme temperature variation between seasons was also feared to weaken the structure. Graffiti, bird droppings and fingerprints were also potential problems, as they would affect the aesthetics of the surface. The most pressing issue was the need to create a single seamless exterior for the external shell, a feat architect Norman Foster once believed to be nearly impossible.While the sculpture was being constructed, public and media outlets nicknamed it "The Bean" because of its shape, a name that Kapoor described as "completely stupid". Months later, Kapoor officially named the piece Cloud Gate. (Kapoor eventually accepted the nickname of "The Bean".) Critical reviews describe the sculpture as a passage between realms. Three-quarters of the sculpture's external surface reflects the sky and the name refers to it acting as a type of gate that helps bridge the space between the sky and the viewer. In 2008, the sculpture and plaza were sometimes referred to jointly as "Cloud Gate on the AT&T Plaza" (as Grainger Plaza was then called). It is Kapoor's first public outdoor work in the United States, and is the work by which he is best known in the country according to the Financial Times.

Category:2006 establishments in Illinois

alt=A large white tent sits on the roof of a cafe building set in front of a skyscraper and blue sky.

In 2004, the first of two internal support rings for the sculpture was erected in [[Millennium Park

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers

Category:Stainless steel sculptures in the United States

Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank

alt=A crane lifts a large, oval-shaped ring in front of several large buildings

Category:British contemporary works of art

The design was inspired by liquid [[mercury (element)

Category:Buildings and structures celebrating the third millennium

A tent was erected to cover ''Cloud Gate'' while it was being polished in 2004 and 2005.

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2006


Cloud Gate

Prompt: How does Cloud Gate explain its Design?

Lying between Lake Michigan to the east and the Loop to the west, Grant Park has served as Chicago's “front yard” since the mid-19th century. Its northwest corner, north of Monroe Street and the Art Institute, east of Michigan Avenue, south of Randolph Street, and west of Columbus Drive, had been Illinois Central rail yards and parking lots until 1997, when it was made available for development by the city as Millennium Park. For 2007, the park was Chicago's second largest tourist attraction, trailing only Navy Pier.In 1999, Millennium Park officials and a group of art collectors, curators and architects reviewed the artistic works of 30 different artists and asked two for proposals. American artist Jeff Koons submitted a proposal to erect a permanent 150-foot (46 m) sculpture of a playground slide; his glass and steel design featured an observation deck 90 feet (27 m) above the ground that was accessible via an elevator. The committee chose the second design by internationally acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor. Measuring 33 by 66 by 42 feet (10 by 20 by 13 m) and weighing 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons), the proposal featured a seamless, stainless steel surface inspired by liquid mercury. This mirror-like surface would reflect the Chicago skyline, but its elliptical shape would distort and twist the reflected image.In the underside of the sculpture is the omphalos, an indentation whose mirrored surface provides multiple reflections of any subject situated beneath it. The apex of the omphalos is 27 feet (8.2 m) above the ground. The concave underside allows visitors to walk underneath to see the omphalos, and through its arch to the other side so that they view the entire structure. During the grand opening week in July 2004, press reports described the omphalos as the "spoon-like underbelly". The stainless steel sculpture was originally envisioned as the centerpiece of the Lurie Garden at the southeast corner of the park. However, Park officials believed the piece was too large for the Lurie Garden and decided to locate it at what is now known as Grainger Plaza, despite Kapoor's objections. Skyscrapers to the north along East Randolph Street, including The Heritage, the Smurfit-Stone Building, Two Prudential Plaza, One Prudential Plaza, and Aon Center are visible, reflected on both the east and west sides of the sculpture.around the structure, its surface acts like a fun-house mirror as it distorts their reflections.Although Kapoor does not draw with computers, computer modeling was essential to the process of analyzing the complex form, which created numerous issues. Since the sculpture was expected to be outdoors, concerns arose that it might retain and conduct heat in a way that would make it too hot to touch during the summer and so cold that one's tongue might stick to it during the winter. The extreme temperature variation between seasons was also feared to weaken the structure. Graffiti, bird droppings and fingerprints were also potential problems, as they would affect the aesthetics of the surface. The most pressing issue was the need to create a single seamless exterior for the external shell, a feat architect Norman Foster once believed to be nearly impossible.While the sculpture was being constructed, public and media outlets nicknamed it "The Bean" because of its shape, a name that Kapoor described as "completely stupid". Months later, Kapoor officially named the piece Cloud Gate. (Kapoor eventually accepted the nickname of "The Bean".) Critical reviews describe the sculpture as a passage between realms. Three-quarters of the sculpture's external surface reflects the sky and the name refers to it acting as a type of gate that helps bridge the space between the sky and the viewer. In 2008, the sculpture and plaza were sometimes referred to jointly as "Cloud Gate on the AT&T Plaza" (as Grainger Plaza was then called). It is Kapoor's first public outdoor work in the United States, and is the work by which he is best known in the country according to the Financial Times.

Category:2006 establishments in Illinois

alt=A large white tent sits on the roof of a cafe building set in front of a skyscraper and blue sky.

In 2004, the first of two internal support rings for the sculpture was erected in [[Millennium Park

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers

Category:Stainless steel sculptures in the United States

Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank

alt=A crane lifts a large, oval-shaped ring in front of several large buildings

Category:British contemporary works of art

The design was inspired by liquid [[mercury (element)

Category:Buildings and structures celebrating the third millennium

A tent was erected to cover ''Cloud Gate'' while it was being polished in 2004 and 2005.

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2006


Cloud Gate

Prompt: In Cloud Gate, how is the Design discussed?

Lying between Lake Michigan to the east and the Loop to the west, Grant Park has served as Chicago's “front yard” since the mid-19th century. Its northwest corner, north of Monroe Street and the Art Institute, east of Michigan Avenue, south of Randolph Street, and west of Columbus Drive, had been Illinois Central rail yards and parking lots until 1997, when it was made available for development by the city as Millennium Park. For 2007, the park was Chicago's second largest tourist attraction, trailing only Navy Pier.In 1999, Millennium Park officials and a group of art collectors, curators and architects reviewed the artistic works of 30 different artists and asked two for proposals. American artist Jeff Koons submitted a proposal to erect a permanent 150-foot (46 m) sculpture of a playground slide; his glass and steel design featured an observation deck 90 feet (27 m) above the ground that was accessible via an elevator. The committee chose the second design by internationally acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor. Measuring 33 by 66 by 42 feet (10 by 20 by 13 m) and weighing 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons), the proposal featured a seamless, stainless steel surface inspired by liquid mercury. This mirror-like surface would reflect the Chicago skyline, but its elliptical shape would distort and twist the reflected image.In the underside of the sculpture is the omphalos, an indentation whose mirrored surface provides multiple reflections of any subject situated beneath it. The apex of the omphalos is 27 feet (8.2 m) above the ground. The concave underside allows visitors to walk underneath to see the omphalos, and through its arch to the other side so that they view the entire structure. During the grand opening week in July 2004, press reports described the omphalos as the "spoon-like underbelly". The stainless steel sculpture was originally envisioned as the centerpiece of the Lurie Garden at the southeast corner of the park. However, Park officials believed the piece was too large for the Lurie Garden and decided to locate it at what is now known as Grainger Plaza, despite Kapoor's objections. Skyscrapers to the north along East Randolph Street, including The Heritage, the Smurfit-Stone Building, Two Prudential Plaza, One Prudential Plaza, and Aon Center are visible, reflected on both the east and west sides of the sculpture.around the structure, its surface acts like a fun-house mirror as it distorts their reflections.Although Kapoor does not draw with computers, computer modeling was essential to the process of analyzing the complex form, which created numerous issues. Since the sculpture was expected to be outdoors, concerns arose that it might retain and conduct heat in a way that would make it too hot to touch during the summer and so cold that one's tongue might stick to it during the winter. The extreme temperature variation between seasons was also feared to weaken the structure. Graffiti, bird droppings and fingerprints were also potential problems, as they would affect the aesthetics of the surface. The most pressing issue was the need to create a single seamless exterior for the external shell, a feat architect Norman Foster once believed to be nearly impossible.While the sculpture was being constructed, public and media outlets nicknamed it "The Bean" because of its shape, a name that Kapoor described as "completely stupid". Months later, Kapoor officially named the piece Cloud Gate. (Kapoor eventually accepted the nickname of "The Bean".) Critical reviews describe the sculpture as a passage between realms. Three-quarters of the sculpture's external surface reflects the sky and the name refers to it acting as a type of gate that helps bridge the space between the sky and the viewer. In 2008, the sculpture and plaza were sometimes referred to jointly as "Cloud Gate on the AT&T Plaza" (as Grainger Plaza was then called). It is Kapoor's first public outdoor work in the United States, and is the work by which he is best known in the country according to the Financial Times.

Category:2006 establishments in Illinois

alt=A large white tent sits on the roof of a cafe building set in front of a skyscraper and blue sky.

In 2004, the first of two internal support rings for the sculpture was erected in [[Millennium Park

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers

Category:Stainless steel sculptures in the United States

Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank

alt=A crane lifts a large, oval-shaped ring in front of several large buildings

Category:British contemporary works of art

The design was inspired by liquid [[mercury (element)

Category:Buildings and structures celebrating the third millennium

A tent was erected to cover ''Cloud Gate'' while it was being polished in 2004 and 2005.

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2006


Cloud Gate

Prompt: Focus on Cloud Gate and explain the Construction and maintenance.

The British engineering firm Atelier One provided the sculpture's structural design, and Performance Structures, Inc. (PSI) was chosen to fabricate it because of their ability to produce nearly invisible welds. The project began with PSI attempting to recreate the design in miniature. A high-density polyurethane foam model was selected by Kapoor, which was then used to design the final structure, including the interior structural components. Initially, PSI planned to build and assemble the sculpture in Oakland, California, and ship it to Chicago through the Panama Canal and St. Lawrence Seaway. However, this plan was discarded after park officials deemed it too risky, so the decision was made to transport the individual panels by truck and to assemble the structure on-site, a task undertaken by MTH Industries.The sculpture's weight raised concerns. Estimating the thickness of the steel needed to create the sculpture's desired aesthetics before fabrication was difficult. Cloud Gate was originally estimated to weigh 60 short tons (54 t; 54 long tons) when completed. However, the final figure was almost twice as heavy at 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons). This extra weight required engineers to reconsider the sculpture's supporting structures. The roof of the Park Grill, upon which Cloud Gate sits, had to be built strong enough to bear the weight. The large retaining wall separating Chicago's Metra train tracks from the North Grant Park garage supports much of the weight of the sculpture and forms the back side of the restaurant. This wall, along with the rest of the garage's foundation, required additional bracing before the piece was erected. Cloud Gate is further buttressed by lateral members underneath the plaza that are anchored to the sculpture's interior structure by tie rods.Inside Cloud Gate's polished exterior shell are several steel structures that keep the sculpture standing. PSI contracted Advanced Building and Metal Fabrication of Chico, California to build them.  The first structural pieces, two type 304 stainless steel rings, were put into place in February 2004. As construction continued, crisscrossing pipe trusses were assembled between the two rings. The trusses and supporting structures were only present for the construction phases. The finished sculpture has no inner bracing. The supporting structural components were designed and constructed to ensure that no specific point was overloaded, and to avoid producing unwanted indentations on the exterior shell. The frame was also designed to expand and contract with the sculpture as temperatures fluctuate. As a result, the two large rings supporting the sculpture move independently of each other, allowing the shell to move independently of the rings.When Cloud Gate's interior components were completed, construction crews prepared to work on the outer shell; this comprises 168 stainless steel panels, each 3⁄8 inch (10 mm) thick and weighing 1,000 to 2,000 pounds (450 to 910 kg). They were fabricated using three-dimensional modeling software. Computers and robots were essential in the bending and shaping of the plates, which was performed by English wheel and a robotic scanning device. Metal stiffeners were welded to each panel's interior face to provide a small degree of rigidity. About a third of the plates, along with the entire interior structure, were fabricated in Oakland. The plates were polished to 98 percent of their final state and covered with protective white film before being sent to Chicago via trucks. Once in Chicago, the plates were welded together on-site, creating 2,442 linear feet (744 m) of welded seams. Welders used keyhole welding machines rather than traditional welding guns. The plates were fabricated so precisely that no on-site cutting or filing was necessary when lifting and fitting them into position.When construction of the shell began in June 2004, a large tent was erected around the piece to shield it from public view. Construction began with the omphalos, where plates were attached to the supporting internal steel structure, from the inside (underside) of the sculpture downward to the outermost surfaces. This sequence caused the structure to resemble a large sombrero when the bottom was complete.The shell of Cloud Gate was fully erected for the grand opening of Millennium Park on July 15, 2004, although it was unpolished and thus unfinished, because its assembly had fallen behind schedule. The piece was temporarily uncovered on July 8 for the opening, although Kapoor was unhappy with this as it allowed the public to see the sculpture in an unfinished state. The original plan was to re-erect the tent around the sculpture for polishing on July 24, but public appreciation for the piece convinced park officials to leave it uncovered for several months. The tent was again erected in January 2005 as a 24-person crew from Ironworkers Local 63 polished the seams between each plate. In order to grind, sand and polish the seams, six levels of scaffolding were erected around the sides of the sculpture, while climbing ropes and harnesses were used to polish harder-to-reach areas. When the upper and side portions of the shell were completed, the tent was once again removed in August 2005. On October 3, the omphalos was closed off as workers polished the final section. Every weld on the Cloud Gate underwent a five-stage process, required to produce the sculpture's mirror-like finish.Cloud Gate was finally completed on August 28, 2005, and officially unveiled on May 15, 2006. The cost for the piece was first estimated at $6 million; this had escalated to $11.5 million by the time the park opened in 2004, with the final figure standing at $23 million in 2006. No public funds were involved; all funding came from donations from individuals and corporations.Kapoor's contract states that the constructed piece should be expected to survive for 1,000 years. The lower 6 feet (1.8 m) of Cloud Gate is wiped down twice a day by hand, while the entire sculpture is cleaned twice a year with 40 U.S. gallons (33 imp gal; 150 L) of liquid detergent. The daily cleanings use a Windex-like solution, while the semi-annual cleanings use Tide. A notable February 2009 incident saw two names etched in letters about 1 inch (25 mm) tall on the northeast side of the curved sculpture. The graffiti was removed by the same firm that did the original polishing.In August 2023, the City of Chicago began renovation and construction work on Grainger Plaza, which also closed public access to Cloud Gate. The work involved accessibility improvements, including ramps and new steps, replacing pavers, and waterproofing. After being behind fencing for most of a year, the sculpture was reopened to the public on June 23, 2024.

Category:2006 establishments in Illinois

alt=A large white tent sits on the roof of a cafe building set in front of a skyscraper and blue sky.

In 2004, the first of two internal support rings for the sculpture was erected in [[Millennium Park

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers

Category:Stainless steel sculptures in the United States

Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank

alt=A crane lifts a large, oval-shaped ring in front of several large buildings

Category:British contemporary works of art

The design was inspired by liquid [[mercury (element)

Category:Buildings and structures celebrating the third millennium

A tent was erected to cover ''Cloud Gate'' while it was being polished in 2004 and 2005.

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2006


Cloud Gate

Prompt: Explain the Construction and maintenance of this artwork, Cloud Gate.

The British engineering firm Atelier One provided the sculpture's structural design, and Performance Structures, Inc. (PSI) was chosen to fabricate it because of their ability to produce nearly invisible welds. The project began with PSI attempting to recreate the design in miniature. A high-density polyurethane foam model was selected by Kapoor, which was then used to design the final structure, including the interior structural components. Initially, PSI planned to build and assemble the sculpture in Oakland, California, and ship it to Chicago through the Panama Canal and St. Lawrence Seaway. However, this plan was discarded after park officials deemed it too risky, so the decision was made to transport the individual panels by truck and to assemble the structure on-site, a task undertaken by MTH Industries.The sculpture's weight raised concerns. Estimating the thickness of the steel needed to create the sculpture's desired aesthetics before fabrication was difficult. Cloud Gate was originally estimated to weigh 60 short tons (54 t; 54 long tons) when completed. However, the final figure was almost twice as heavy at 110 short tons (100 t; 98 long tons). This extra weight required engineers to reconsider the sculpture's supporting structures. The roof of the Park Grill, upon which Cloud Gate sits, had to be built strong enough to bear the weight. The large retaining wall separating Chicago's Metra train tracks from the North Grant Park garage supports much of the weight of the sculpture and forms the back side of the restaurant. This wall, along with the rest of the garage's foundation, required additional bracing before the piece was erected. Cloud Gate is further buttressed by lateral members underneath the plaza that are anchored to the sculpture's interior structure by tie rods.Inside Cloud Gate's polished exterior shell are several steel structures that keep the sculpture standing. PSI contracted Advanced Building and Metal Fabrication of Chico, California to build them.  The first structural pieces, two type 304 stainless steel rings, were put into place in February 2004. As construction continued, crisscrossing pipe trusses were assembled between the two rings. The trusses and supporting structures were only present for the construction phases. The finished sculpture has no inner bracing. The supporting structural components were designed and constructed to ensure that no specific point was overloaded, and to avoid producing unwanted indentations on the exterior shell. The frame was also designed to expand and contract with the sculpture as temperatures fluctuate. As a result, the two large rings supporting the sculpture move independently of each other, allowing the shell to move independently of the rings.When Cloud Gate's interior components were completed, construction crews prepared to work on the outer shell; this comprises 168 stainless steel panels, each 3⁄8 inch (10 mm) thick and weighing 1,000 to 2,000 pounds (450 to 910 kg). They were fabricated using three-dimensional modeling software. Computers and robots were essential in the bending and shaping of the plates, which was performed by English wheel and a robotic scanning device. Metal stiffeners were welded to each panel's interior face to provide a small degree of rigidity. About a third of the plates, along with the entire interior structure, were fabricated in Oakland. The plates were polished to 98 percent of their final state and covered with protective white film before being sent to Chicago via trucks. Once in Chicago, the plates were welded together on-site, creating 2,442 linear feet (744 m) of welded seams. Welders used keyhole welding machines rather than traditional welding guns. The plates were fabricated so precisely that no on-site cutting or filing was necessary when lifting and fitting them into position.When construction of the shell began in June 2004, a large tent was erected around the piece to shield it from public view. Construction began with the omphalos, where plates were attached to the supporting internal steel structure, from the inside (underside) of the sculpture downward to the outermost surfaces. This sequence caused the structure to resemble a large sombrero when the bottom was complete.The shell of Cloud Gate was fully erected for the grand opening of Millennium Park on July 15, 2004, although it was unpolished and thus unfinished, because its assembly had fallen behind schedule. The piece was temporarily uncovered on July 8 for the opening, although Kapoor was unhappy with this as it allowed the public to see the sculpture in an unfinished state. The original plan was to re-erect the tent around the sculpture for polishing on July 24, but public appreciation for the piece convinced park officials to leave it uncovered for several months. The tent was again erected in January 2005 as a 24-person crew from Ironworkers Local 63 polished the seams between each plate. In order to grind, sand and polish the seams, six levels of scaffolding were erected around the sides of the sculpture, while climbing ropes and harnesses were used to polish harder-to-reach areas. When the upper and side portions of the shell were completed, the tent was once again removed in August 2005. On October 3, the omphalos was closed off as workers polished the final section. Every weld on the Cloud Gate underwent a five-stage process, required to produce the sculpture's mirror-like finish.Cloud Gate was finally completed on August 28, 2005, and officially unveiled on May 15, 2006. The cost for the piece was first estimated at $6 million; this had escalated to $11.5 million by the time the park opened in 2004, with the final figure standing at $23 million in 2006. No public funds were involved; all funding came from donations from individuals and corporations.Kapoor's contract states that the constructed piece should be expected to survive for 1,000 years. The lower 6 feet (1.8 m) of Cloud Gate is wiped down twice a day by hand, while the entire sculpture is cleaned twice a year with 40 U.S. gallons (33 imp gal; 150 L) of liquid detergent. The daily cleanings use a Windex-like solution, while the semi-annual cleanings use Tide. A notable February 2009 incident saw two names etched in letters about 1 inch (25 mm) tall on the northeast side of the curved sculpture. The graffiti was removed by the same firm that did the original polishing.In August 2023, the City of Chicago began renovation and construction work on Grainger Plaza, which also closed public access to Cloud Gate. The work involved accessibility improvements, including ramps and new steps, replacing pavers, and waterproofing. After being behind fencing for most of a year, the sculpture was reopened to the public on June 23, 2024.

Category:2006 establishments in Illinois

alt=A large white tent sits on the roof of a cafe building set in front of a skyscraper and blue sky.

In 2004, the first of two internal support rings for the sculpture was erected in [[Millennium Park

International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers

Category:Stainless steel sculptures in the United States

Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank

alt=A crane lifts a large, oval-shaped ring in front of several large buildings

Category:British contemporary works of art

The design was inspired by liquid [[mercury (element)

Category:Buildings and structures celebrating the third millennium

A tent was erected to cover ''Cloud Gate'' while it was being polished in 2004 and 2005.

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2006