Dream of the Language Wheel

1962

born Edmonds, Washington, 1906; died La Conner, Washington, 1998

A language wheel allows its user to search and find and see common words among different tongues. The tool is a graphic representation of the shared linguistic source of a large segment of the world's populations, another indicator of our commonality. In this work Anderson has incorporated Northwest Coast Native symbols with early Christian symbols into an abstraction that recalls written signs.

Oil on canvas

81 x 48 in. (205.7 x 121.9 cm)

Framed: 84 x 51 in.

Gift of the Marshall and Helen Hatch Collection, in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Seattle Art Museum

2012.15.3

Provenance: [Northwest Craft Center and Gallery, Seattle Center, by 1963]; sold to John H. Hauberg (1916-2002), Seattle, August 7, 1963; through [Gordon Woodside/John Braseth Gallery, Seattle] as agent for the estate of John Hauberg, sold to Marshall Hatch, July 1, 2002; by bequest to Seattle Art Museum, 2012 [as Language Wheel].

Photo: Elizabeth Mann

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistoryIn chronological order:

Seattle, Gordon Woodside Gallery, Guy Anderson, July-August 1968 {no catalogue}.

Seattle, Seattle Art Museum, Northwest Traditions, June 29-December 10, 1978. No catalogue no., p. 103 [as Dream of the Language Wheel], not reproduced.

Seattle, Gordon Woodside/John Braseth Gallery, A Selection of Art Works from the Estate of John H. Hauberg and Ann Homer Hauberg, September {dates?}, 2003.

Seattle, Seattle Art Museum, Guy Anderson: Northwest Master, Aug. 22, 1996-March 2, 1997. Text by Martha Kingsbury. No cat. no, reproduced [as Dream of the Language Wheel, Collection of John H. and Ann H. Hauberg].

Seattle, Seattle Art Museum, SAM at 75: Building a Collection for Seattle, May 5-September 9, 2007. No catalogue.

Seattle, Seattle Art Museum, Modernism in the Pacific Northwest: The Mythic and the Mystical—Masterworks from the Seattle Art Museum, June 19-September 7, 2014. Text by Patricia Junker. Plate no. 20, pp. 43, 45 [as Language Wheel].

Published ReferencesIn chronological order:

Robbins, Tom. Guy Anderson. Seattle: Gear Works Press, 1965. Cat. no. 17, n.p., reproduced on back fly leaf [as Dream of the Language Wheel].

Batie, Jean. “Guy Anderson Paintings at Woodside,” Seattle Times, July 30, 1968: p. 28 [as Language Wheel].

Tarzan, Delores. “’Northwest Traditions’ Lively,” Seattle Times, July 9, 1978: p. L1 [as Dream of the Language Wheel].

Guenther, Bruce. Guy Anderson. Seattle: Francine Seders Gallery, 1986; checklist no. 5, p. 107, reproduced plate 5.

Caughill, Daniel. “How Should Christians Engage Art?” Deeply Rooted Magazine: Glorifying God in Womanhood Issue # 10, no. 2016: pp 30-35, reproduced p. 30, 34-35.

Seattle Art Museum respectfully acknowledges that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. We honor our ongoing connection to these communities past, present, and future.

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