The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of November 14, 2025

William Milliken at the Century of Progress, Chicago

1940

Clarence Holbrook Carter

(American, 1904–2000)
America, Ohio, Cleveland
oil on canvas
Framed: 90.2 x 125 x 9 cm (35 1/2 x 49 3/16 x 3 9/16 in.); Unframed: 74 x 109.5 cm (29 1/8 x 43 1/8 in.)
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund 1992.6
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

William M. Milliken was director of the Cleveland Museum of Art from 1930 until 1958.

Description

Artist Clarence Carter photographed his friend, mentor, and patron William M. Milliken while the two returned by bus from the Century of Progress International Exposition to their Chicago hotel in 1933. Seven years later, he created this oil painting based on the earlier image. Although the photograph was taken during the day, Carter transformed the painting into a nighttime scene, adding dramatic fireworks.
  • Clarence Holbrook Carter; (Hirschl & Adler Gallery, New York, NY); (Barbara Mathes Gallery, New York, NY); (Christie, Manson & Woods International, Inc., New York, NY).
  • Turner, Evan H. "The Year in Review for 1992." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 80, no. 2 (1993): 38-79. Reproduced: p. 49; Mentioned: p. 48-49, 66 www.jstor.org
    Kraynak, Scott, Henry Adams, Douglas Max Utter, William G. Scheele, R. A. Washington, and Mike Hudson. The Heart of Cleveland. Shaker Hts, OH: Red Giant Books, 2018. Reproduced: P. 25, fig. 20
  • In Honor of The Cleveland Arts Prize. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (June 13, 2010-March 13, 2011).
    From Here to Infinity. The Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 7-October 27, 2007).
    Clarence Carter: The Snapshot Studies. Southern Ohio Museum, Portsmouth, OH (organizer) (February 14-May 20, 2004); Beck Center for the Arts, Lakewood, OH (June 19-September 19, 2004).
    Portsmouth, Ohio, Southern Ohio Museum, Clarence Carter: The Unknown Snapshot Studies (15 February-20 May 2004); traveled to Lakewood, Ohio, Beck Center for the Arts (19 June-19 September 2004); illus. fig. 57A, pg. 33.
    Cleveland, Cleveland Institute of Art Reinberger Galleries, Spirit of Cleveland (19 September-22 October 1995); traveled to Canton, Canton Museum of Art, (24 November 1995-6 January 1996); to Lima, Ohio, ArtSpace (19 January-2 March 1996); Columbus, The Riffe Gallery (9 May-27 July 1996); to Lakewood, Ohio, Beck Center for Cultural Arts (15 August-1 October 1996); listed p. 46; biography pg. 23.
    The Spirit of Cleveland: The Visual Arts Recipients of the Cleveland Arts Prize, 1961-1995. The Cleveland Institute of Art (organizer) (September 19-October 22, 1995); Canton Museum of Art (November 24, 1995-January 6, 1996); ArtSpace Lima (January 19-March 2, 1996); Riffe Gallery (May 9-July 27, 1996); Beck Center for the Arts (September 15-October 30, 1996).
    Selected Acquisitions. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 9-April 11, 1993).
    Christies, Important American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture of the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries (30 November-6 December 1991) illus. cat. no. 207, pg. 193.
    New York, Hirschl & Adler Galleries, Clarence H. Carter: Early Works (14 January-18 February 1989) listed cat. no. 5; not illus.
    Barbara Mathes Gallery, New York, Selections: Fall 1988 (Fall, 1988) illus. cat. no. 14.
    Youngstown, OH: The Butler Institute of American Art, Fireworks: American Artists Celebrate the Eighth Art (14 September-26 October 1986) illus; catalogue not numbered.
    Berlin, West Germany, Neuen Gesellschaft fur bildende Kunst, Amerika Traum und Depression 1920/1940 (9 November-28 December 1980); traveled to Hamburg, West Germany, Kunstverein (11 January-15 February 1981); illus. cat. no. 67, p. 270; listed p. 528.
    Easton, PA, Van Wickle Gallery, Lafayette College, Clarence Holbrooke Carter (14 April-17 May 1980) cat. no. 7.
    Portsmouth, OH, Southern Ohio Museum and Cultural Center, Clarence H. Carter, Fifty Years of Art: Inaugural Exhibition (8 September-6 October 1979) illus. no. 7 illus.
    Allentown, PA, Muhlenberg College Center for the Arts, Clarence H. Carter Retrospective Exhibition (13 May-21July 1978) illus.
  • {{cite web|title=William Milliken at the Century of Progress, Chicago|url=false|author=Clarence Holbrook Carter|year=1940|access-date=14 November 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1992.6