The Song of the Lark

1884

This painting by Jules Adolphe Breton was among the first to enter the Art Institute's collection when the museum opened in 1893. It quickly became one of the most popular paintings at the museum. By the 1920s, reproductions were hanging on classroom walls across the United States. In 1934, it was named “America’s Best Loved Picture” in a contest sponsored by the Chicago Daily News.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Jules Breton (French, 1827–1906)

Date

1884

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

110.6 × 85.8 cm (43 1/2 × 33 3/4 in.); Framed: 142.3 × 116.9 cm (56 × 46 in.)

Origin

France

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Henry Field Memorial Collection