Art Institute of ChicagoPublic domain

The Wrestler's Challenge

Mihály Munkácsy · 1875

Provenance

Ownership history

Probably Henry C. Gibson (died 1891), Philadelphia, by at least 1880 [Hart 1880]. Albert Allison Munger (died 1898), Chicago, by at least February 24, 1890 [lent to Chicago 1890, McEwen, Munger, and Meritt Collections, no. 225]; bequeathed to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1901 [Art Institute of Chicago 1898; see also “Munger Estate to be Divided: Litigation Among Heirs Ends…,” Chicago Daily Tribune (April 12, 1901), p. 7].

Recorded by Art Institute of Chicago.

Exhibitions

Exhibition history

Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Paintings Exhibited at the Opening of the New Galleries: McEwen, Munger and Meritt Collections, February 24, 1890, cat. no. 225.
Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Permanent and Loan Collections, April 5, 1890, cat. no. 225.
Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Collection of Paintings from Various Sources, August 1890, cat. no. 79.
Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Works of Old Dutch Masters and Other Pictures, November 8, 1891-January 1892, cat. no. 66.
Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Paintings, Sculptures and Other Objects Exhibited during the World’s Congress, May 15-October 31, 1893, cat. no. 86.
Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, Paintings, Sculpture, and Other Objects Exhibited at the Opening of the New Museum, December 8, 1893, cat. no. 86.

Literature

Published references

Edward Strahan, Art Treasures of America: being the choicest works of art in the public and private collections of North America (Philadelphia: Gebbie and Barrie, 1880), pp. 77-8, 80 [print between pp. 72 and 73 is after another version].
Charles Henry Hart, “The Public and Private Collections of the United States. II. The Collection of Mr. Henry C. Gibson, Philadelphia. First Article,” in American Art Review 1, 6 (1880), pp. 231-2.
“Mr. Henry C. Gibson’s House,” in Artistic Houses: being a series of interior views of a number of the most beautiful and celebrated homes in the United States, with a description of the art treasures contained therein (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1883), p. 150 (ill.).
Charles Henry Hart, “The Public and Private Collections of the United States. The Collection of Mr. Henry C. Gibson,” in Walter Montgomery, ed. American Art and American Art Collections, vol. 1 (Boston: E. W. Walker, 1889), pp. 111-2.
Art Institute of Chicago, Catalogue of Works of Old Dutch Masters and Other Pictures (Chicago: Knight and Leonard, 1890), p. 46, cat. no. 106.
Art Institute of Chicago, Catalogue of Paintings, Sculpture, and Other Objects in the Museum (Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1894), p. 59, cat. no. 86.
Art Institute of Chicago, Catalogue of Objects in the Museum, pt. 1, Sculpture and Painting, 2nd ed. (Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1896), p. 77, cat. no. 86.
“De Munkácsy is Dying,” Chicago Daily Tribune (October 25, 1896), p. 33.
Art Institute of Chicago, Catalogue of Objects in the Museum: Sculpture and Painting, 3rd ed. (Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1898), pp. 98, 105, cat. no. 86.
Charles Francis Browne, “The Permanent Collections in the Museum of the Art Institute of Chicago. VIII. The Munger Collection,” in Brush and Pencil 3, 2 (1898), p. 74.
“Munger Gives Much to City: Millionaire’s Will Bequeaths All His Paintings to the Art Institute,” Chicago Daily Tribune (August 31, 1898), p. 10.
Art Institute of Chicago, General Catalogue of Objects in the Museum (Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1901), p. 167, cat. no. 163.

Comparables