backstory: “backstory”

Gray created many studies for Threnody, describing the development of the work in this way: I was assisted by a model of the room scaled one inch to the foot. Various color harmonies were studied in this model. I made several hundred color studies and over one hundred figure studies. The first studies were small; they increased in size. The final studies were about five feet high; from these I worked directly on the final panels.

Earlier this fall the artist’s sons, Luke Gray and Thaddeus Gray, reached out to me about a donation of art they wanted to make to the Museum. Feeling a close connection to the Neuberger and recalling their father’s monumental work, they offered to donate the “final studies” for Threnody to the museum, fifteen in all, a portion of which are now on view through the end of the year. If you haven’t seen Threnody yet, I hope you’ll come see both. If you have, I hope you’ll come back to see the final studies.

All of us here at the Neuberger and at Purchase College are deeply grateful to the Gray family for their very generous gift and for the friendship to the Museum since its founding.

Tracy Fitzpatrick
Director, Neuberger Museum of Art