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Meet the 50 makers selected from more than 1,600 submissions

Open 10:00–5:00

Visit
Open today 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Admission is always free

6th and Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20565

Sculpture Garden Extended Hours

Open late until 8:00 p.m. on select nights
Through September 5
Exhibitions & Events
America’s 250th

Celebrating American art and artists
Art & Artists
Open Call

Artists Reimagining the Collection
Meet the 50 makers selected from more than 1,600 submissions

The Beginning of Miracles

1953

Corita Kent

Associated Names

Corita Kent

Artist, American, 1918 - 1986

The image features a complex pattern of various shapes and lines creating an abstract composition. Two figures merging into a single form at the center with what appear to be crowns or hats. The figures hold symmetrical objects that are colorful and resemble large goblets or chalices. Other elements such as vases, tables, and chairs can be seen in the background, suggesting a festive or ceremonial atmosphere. The overall composition resembles a vibrant collage, inviting viewers to explore familiar objects within the abstract design.

This object’s media is not available for download. Contact us about image usage.

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Artwork overview

Medium

color screenprint
Credit Line

Reba and Dave Williams Collection, Gift of Reba and Dave Williams
Dimensions

image: 39.4 × 49.2 cm (15 1/2 × 19 3/8 in.)
sheet: 40.5 × 50.4 cm (15 15/16 × 19 13/16 in.)
Accession Number

2008.115.2837

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Reba and Dave Williams, Greenwich, Connecticut; acquired 2008 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Dave H. and Reba W. Williams

Exhibition History

1987

American Screenprints, National Academy of Design, New York; Reynolda House, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Federal Reserve Board, Washington, D.C.; Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio; Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, Massachusetts; Guild Hall, East Hampton, New York; Mary and Leigh Block Gallery, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois; Columbia Museum of Art, South Carolina; United States Embassy, Tokyo, Japan; Museum of Modern Art, Sapporo, Japan; State Bank of Boston, Massachusetts; Academy of Art, Vienna, Austria; Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, England; Parpallo Museum, Valencia, Spain; Institute of North American Studies, Barcelona, Spain; National Academy of Fine Arts, Madrid, Spain; National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; Hunterian Art Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland; Mona Bismark Foundation, Paris, France; Kunsthalle Bremen, Germany; College of Staten Island, New York; McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas, 1987-1995, no. 36.

Inscriptions

lower left in graphite: The Beginning of Miracles E210; lower right in graphite: Sister Mary Corita Kent '53

Wikidata ID

Q76551125

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