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Design for United States Currency
by Kenyon Cox
About the Artwork
The painter and muralist Kenyon Cox viewed himself as the heir to the great traditions of the Italian Renaissance and vigorously led the resistance to all forms of modern painting. This design for U. S. currency, which was rejected by the government, shows the care with which he planned his compositions. Cox's son, Allyn, who also became a successful mural painter, posed for the male figure. Cox's brother, J. D. Cox, a prominent civic leader in Cleveland, played an active role in the formation of the Cleveland Museum of Art. He gave the museum the three works by his brother that are in this exhibition.
Inscriptions
signed, lower right, in graphite: Kenyon Cox. 1912 ; by artist, lower center, in graphite; First Sketch of Composition. ; by unknown hand, lower right, in graphite: 11 x 19 1/2 15 x 23 1/2
Provenance
?–1916: Mr. Jacob D. Cox, Sr., Cleveland, OH, given to The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH October 5, 1916–: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Exhibition history
Drawings from the Museum Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 10-April 28, 1937). Watercolors and Drawings form the Museum Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 7-28, 1939). The Lessons of the Academy. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 8-May 29, 1983). Directions in Drawing II: The Human Figure. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 5, 1991-January 12, 1992). American Drawings from the Permanent Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 19-July 12, 1998).
Quick Overview
- Artist
- Kenyon Cox (American, 1856–1919)
- Date
- 1912
- Medium
- graphite
- Dimensions
- Image: 15.9 x 37.8 cm (6 1/4 x 14 7/8 in.); Sheet: 30.3 x 50.8 cm (11 15/16 x 20 in.)
- Type
- Drawing
- Classification
- Drawing
- Department
- Drawings
- Credit line
- Gift of J. D. Cox
- Accession no.
- 1916.1069
More by Kenyon Cox in museum collections
Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.
Open-access museum record · AT-00011392
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