Pictograph-Symbol
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “Pictograph-Symbol” now? Art Institute of Chicago, Gallery 395, Chicago. Yes, on view now. Checked September 29, 2026.
Chicago, United States
Closed· opens at 11:00 AM
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the painting
Adolph Gottlieb’s Pictograph series, created between 1941 and 1951, represents the artist’s early efforts at reconciling elements of abstraction with an exploration of the subconscious. To make these works, the artist laid down a grid as an organizing structure. Using a process of free association and intuition influenced by the Surrealist technique of automatism, or automatic drawing, he decided to employ symbols to fill the grid. Mining eclectic source material from non-Western cultures and modern art, Gottlieb invented a pictorial language that aimed to represent and convey universal ideas to the viewer.
Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0
Details
- Accession number
- 2003.181
In the catalog
Display history
On view · Gallery 395
Art Institute of Chicago · Sep 28, 2026 — now · Verified
Was on view · Gallery 398
Art Institute of Chicago · Aug 19, 2026 — Sep 28, 2026 · Verified
Sources
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Image: Art Institute of Chicago — © the artist or rights holder
