The Beginning

The Beginning

1960

Sonia Gechtoff, The Beginning, 1960. Oil paint on canvas; 69 x 83 in. Denver Art Museum: Vance H. Kirkland Acquisition Fund, 2015.62. ©️ Estate of Sonia Gechtoff.

This object is currently on view
Sonia Gechtoff is recognized as an incredibly significant Bay Area abstract expressionist painter. Prior to creating “The Beginning,” the artist had spent time in Italy, where she was exposed to the fresco cycles of the early Renaissance artist Giotto. According to the artist, the work is intended to be a sort of Genesis story, influenced in particular by Giotto’s Arena Chapel in Padua. Her use of vibrant blues and expressive brushwork within “The Beginning” are evidence of the inspiration she found in Italy.
Artist
Sonia Gechtoff, American, 1926-2018
Born: Philadelphia, PA
Work Locations: San Francisco, CA
Country
United States
Object
abstract painting
Medium
Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions
overall height: 69 in, 175.2600 cm; overall width: 83 in, 210.8200 cm
Inscription
Artist's name and date written on verso on canvas in TLC. Date and title written on wood crossbeam support.
Credit Line
Vance H. Kirkland Acquisition Fund
Department
Modern and Contemporary Art
Collection
Modern and Contemporary Art
Accession Number
2015.62

This information is published from the Denver Art Museum’s collection database. Updates and additions based on research and imaging activities are ongoing. The images, titles, and inscriptions are products of their time and are presented here as documentation, not as a reflection of the museum’s values. If you have corrections or additional information about this object please email us at info@denverartmuseum.org to help us improve our records.

Every effort has been made to accurately determine the rights status of works and their images. Please email us imagerights@denverartmuseum.org if you have further information on the rights status of a work contrary or in addition to the information in our records.