Purdue Galleries Acquires an Iconic Piece of Campus Art History
Purdue Galleries is pleased to announce the acquisition of the preparatory drawing for Eugene Savage's mural Spirit of the Land Grant College, 1961
One of the most recognizable and beloved pieces of art on Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus, Spirit of the Land Grant College has been prominently displayed in the Stewart Center since its generous donation by the Scholer and Stewart families in 1962. “Due to the exceptional work of our Luce Curator Kirstin Gotway, Purdue Galleries was able to locate and secure this remarkable preparatory sketch of the Spirit of the Land Grant College mural,” says Purdue Galleries Director Erika Kvam. “We are elated to have acquired this preliminary drawing of one of Purdue University’s most iconic murals.”
Eugene Savage (1883-1978) was born in Covington, Indiana and studied painting at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, the American Academy in Rome, and Yale University in New Haven. He was greatly inspired by artists from the Mexican mural movement such as Diego Rivera (1886-1957), David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896-1974) and José Clemente Orozco (1883-1949), whose work is also represented in Purdue University’s art collection. Similarly, Savage is best known today as a muralist. His paintings can be found across the country at schools, statehouses, post offices, and other municipal buildings.
Through a serendipitous twist of fate, an old friend of Gotway’s, who knew that she’d recently accepted a position, notified her that a collection of Eugene Savage’s work was going up for auction through Schwenke Auctioneers in Woodbury, Connecticut on May 23, 2023. The auction included many of Savage’s sketches and watercolors previously held by the artist’s heirs after his 1978 death. The sketch measures an impressive 14.5 feet long by 3.5 feet wide, and across the image there is evidence of Savage adjusting the placement and appearance of many of the elements. Additional sheets of paper are pasted on the composition, demonstrating his artistic practice and technique. Purdue Galleries Luce curator Kirstin Gotway says, “This work will help future Boilermakers better understand how Savage conceived and designed the mural that has graced the wall of Stewart Center for more than half a century.”
Purdue Galleries is currently working with Purdue University Archives and Special Collections and a paper conservator to assess the stability and conservation needs of the work. More details on the display of the piece will be made public in the coming months. Any questions can be directed to Purdue Galleries at galleries@purdue.edu.