Permanent Collection Installation | A Connecticut Legacy: Sol LeWitt at the New Britain Museum of American Art

Long before becoming one of the most celebrated and visionary artists of the 20th century, Sol LeWitt (1928–2007) found his artistic footing in New Britain. From ages six to 16, he lived just a short walk from the New Britain Museum of American Art, where he took Saturday morning art classes that nurtured his early creativity and deepened his love for art. In 1949, at just 21, LeWitt returned to the Museum to participate in his first-ever museum exhibition—a group show titled Young Talent, featuring local artists. For this exhibition, he contributed a suite of lithographs that revealed his early fascination with printmaking and marked the beginnings of his artistic evolution.

Even after relocating, LeWitt remained loyal and generous to his native city and to the Museum. His profound friendship with the NBMAA has culminated in one of the world’s most extensive collections of the artist’s work. Over the course of four decades, LeWitt enriched the Museum’s holdings with thousands of gifts, and his formidable legacy is readily apparent for all those who visit the Museum. Immediately outside our entrance, one encounters his elegant sculpture Complex Forms #4; and upon entry, visitors are greeted by his large-scale Wall Drawing #1196, Scribbles, 2005-06, the artist’s final gift to the Museum.

Although three quarters of a century have passed since LeWitt’s first 1949 exhibition, today, his legacy lives vibrantly within our galleries and grounds—an integral part of the Museum’s story and a lasting testament to one of America’s most influential artists.