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The 20th century

Works made in the 20th century, anywhere in the world.

189 works · hang 2671 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. A square white tile, rotated 90 degrees, crossed by black lines intersecting at 90-degree angles. A few of the shapes thus formed—some partial squares, some rectangles—are colored in a single shade of yellow, blue, black, or red.
    Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and GrayPiet Mondrian, 1921Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  2. Study in Rhythm: Red and Gold, by Joseph Schillinger, ca. 1934
    Study in Rhythm: Red and GoldJoseph Schillinger, ca. 1934Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. A Rose, by Thomas Anshutz, 1907
    A RoseThomas Anshutz, 1907Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  4. The image shows five metallic objects arranged in a vertical column. These include three L-shaped brackets and two circular rings, in muted gray and rust-brown shades with a metallic sheen. The objects are positioned against a light, neutral background.
    Color Notes on IronGerald Transpota, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 1, south wall

  1. The image shows a large fan with intricate feather-like segments adorned with yellow patterns and a bird depiction. The color palette is grey with hints of yellow, brown, and metallic sheen on the ribs. The fan is positioned upright with the handle at the bottom center, and the feathers extend outward in a semi-circular shape.
    Feather FanTulita Westfall, c. 1937Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This painting is a birth record for Sarah Campion, daughter of Joseph and Mary Campion, born on November 16th, 1777. It features elaborate calligraphy and ornamental designs. The borders contain floral patterns with red and orange-colored flowers and green leaves. The central text is decorative, and at the bottom are human-like figures in colonial attire standing beside a flower vase. The artwork reflects a style reminiscent of early American folk art, created by an anonymous folk artist capturing the essence of 18th-century American artistry.
    Pa. German Birth CertificateGlenn Pearce, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image shows a wooden frame with six vertical cylindrical pegs evenly spaced. The color palette consists of light and medium brown tones. The structure is angled to the right with four visible legs. In the bottom left corner, there is a smaller sketched diagram with measurements.
    Candle MoldVincent P. Rosel, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. The image features a round, ornately decorated object resembling a shield with metallic-looking decorative hinges on its surface. The color palette is primarily earthy tones such as brown, red, and hints of gold. The object is centered in the image, viewed from the front, with engravings decorating its surface. The background is plain and light in color.
    Baptismal FontWilliam Kieckhofel, c. 1941Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, south wall

  1. From under an elevated train track, we look at a cluster of people hammering and working on the far side of a wooden fence, all against a silvery-blue building that fills most of the background in this horizontal painting. The scene is loosely painted mostly in tones of hazy and saturated blues, so many of the details are indistinct. About a quarter of the way in from the right edge of the composition, a thin iron column holds up the train platform. The column nearly spans the height of the painting, and the track it supports runs across the top edge of the canvas. At the foot of the column, along the bottom edge, are two parallel tracks embedded in an area otherwise painted with short, diagonal strokes in topaz blue, olive green, and straw yellow. Just beyond the tracks, the split-rail wooden fence runs across most of the painting, though there is an opening at the left edge of the canvas. A man sits with his back to us on the railing to our right of center. He wears a dark cap, a lapis-blue shirt, and navy-blue pants. Several men work on or near a mound-shaped form, perhaps a piece of machinery, just beyond the fence, near the center of the painting. One man holds a hammer high overhead while another reaches down or strikes the mound with his feet planted wide. More people work together to our left, and a man to our right stands near a crane. The people and these areas are painted with broad strokes and touches of cobalt blue, charcoal gray, khaki brown, and a few swipes of shell pink and bright white. A puff of white smoke billows up behind the central group, before the land drops precipitously away. The chasm is painted with shimmering tones of aquamarine and cerulean blue. A sky-blue, rectangular building perches at the far edge. A few windows are outlined in royal blue to our left but the rest of the building is loosely painted with long, vertical strokes so no architectural details can be made out. Behind this structure are more city buildings, suggested with strokes of muted rust red, parchment and bright white, and cobalt blue. The ice-blue sky fills the band between the top of the buildings and the train track running overhead. The artist signed his name near the lower left corner, “BELLOWS.”
    Blue MorningGeorge Bellows, 1909Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. Three Girls and River, by Louis M. Eilshemius, 1907
    Three Girls and RiverLouis M. Eilshemius, 1907Courtesy of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  3. This is a painting of a carousel horse. The image shows a gray carousel horse with glossy highlights and shading. The horse has a blue and red saddle with gold bands, and a blue harness with red accents. The horse is mid-gallop, with animated legs. The background is plain to focus on the horse's design. The style is detailed and realistic, reminiscent of carousel art from the late 19th to early 20th century.
    Carousel HorseDorothy Handy, c. 1939Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. The image shows a large, intricately designed vase with a bulbous base and flared top at the center. The vase is decorated with painted scenes of a town or village. The color scheme includes shades of blue, green, brown, and touches of yellow and red. Surrounding the vase are two smaller detailed sections showing close-ups of the painted scenes on it. The main vase image is enclosed within a boxed outline on the page.
    Fire Lighter VaseFrancis Law Durand, 1935/1942Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 2, north wall

  1. This is an image of a bonnet and its details. The drawing showcases a bonnet with intricate design and texture. The bonnet is viewed from the side, revealing its woven structure with patterns representing fabric pleats or folds. It has a long ribbon hanging from the back, depicted with flowing lines. There are also two smaller sketches showing the bonnet from the back, emphasizing its shape and construction. The background is plain.
    BonnetBessie Forman, c. 1936Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. This is a drawing of an abstract shape or artifact. The image features a central black object positioned against a plain, light-colored background. The object has a slightly irregular, elongated triangular form with rounded edges and contours. It includes a series of geometric holes and protrusions. The subtle shadowing suggests a three-dimensional form, yet the drawing maintains a simplicity that emphasizes the object's unique contours and cutouts.
    BootjackClaude Marshall, c. 1940Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. The image depicts an iron sculpture with grapevine motifs. The color scheme is primarily brown, with a textured appearance. The grapevine design is arranged vertically and includes grape clusters and leaves. The sculpture is mounted on a base and includes an iron bar at the top. The artist's signature "ROSE CAMPBELL GERKE" is visible in the lower right corner of the image.
    FenceRose Campbell-Gerke, c. 1940Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  4. Louis Eilshemius
    Samoan SceneLouis M. Eilshemius, 1908Courtesy of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution