Dale Chihuly Large 52" Original Lightbox Painting Peacock Blue Float

Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Peacock Blue Float
Medium: Mixed Media Acrylic Painting, Mounted in Lightbox, LED Panel on Back
Size: 51" x 42"
Frame: 53" x 44" x 2"
Year: c. 2016
Inscription: Signed "Chihuly" on bottom front
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity

Dale Chihuly's "Peacock Blue Float" exemplifies the artist's sustained investigation into the expressive potential of color, transparency, and light. Developed as part of a distinctive series of lightbox paintings first debuted at Halcyon Gallery on Bond Street, London, this format translates core concerns of Chihuly's glass practice into a two-dimensional yet spatially activated medium. By incorporating internal illumination, the artist treats light as an essential structural element, transforming the viewing experience and reinforcing the work's sculptural presence.

The composition is anchored by a luminous concentration of saturated yellow and golden forms that appear suspended within a deep peacock-blue field. Encircling arcs of darker linear elements establish a dynamic framework, suggesting motion and containment while directing the eye toward the radiant center. Gestural splatters and layered applications of acrylic create an atmospheric surface that balances immediacy with compositional control. The interplay between opacity and translucency is heightened by the backlighting, producing shifting visual depth and the impression that color emanates from within the image rather than resting on its surface.

The work is painted directly on Plexiglas, which serves as the illuminated ground. Background imagery is applied to the reverse, while primary forms are painted on the front; an LED panel mounted behind the support activates the color and surface. The sheet measures 51 × 42 inches, with overall framed dimensions of 53 × 44 × 2 inches. The painting dates to circa 2016, is signed "Chihuly" on the lower front, and is accompanied by a gallery certificate of authenticity.

About Dale Chihuly

Dale Chihuly is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in contemporary American art and a central force in elevating glass to international prominence as a fine art medium. Born in 1941 in Tacoma, Washington, Chihuly played a pivotal role in redefining glass from a functional craft into a medium capable of monumental scale, conceptual depth, and expressive freedom. His work stands at the intersection of sculpture, installation, and design, and has had a lasting impact on the trajectory of late twentieth- and early twenty-first-century art.

Chihuly's formal training reflects a multidisciplinary foundation that informs his expansive practice. He studied interior design at the University of Washington before pursuing glass at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Rhode Island School of Design. A Fulbright Fellowship to Murano, Italy, exposed him to centuries-old glassblowing traditions and collaborative studio models, both of which would profoundly shape his approach. Unlike the solitary artist model, Chihuly embraced teamwork as integral to artistic production, allowing for greater scale and technical complexity.

In the early 1970s, Chihuly emerged as a founding figure of the American Studio Glass movement and co-founded the Pilchuck Glass School, which became a critical center for experimentation, education, and international exchange. His early work challenged conventional notions of balance and symmetry, favoring organic, irregular forms that emphasized gesture, movement, and process. These explorations laid the groundwork for the ambitious series that followed.

After losing sight in one eye due to a 1976 accident, Chihuly transitioned further into the role of artistic director, overseeing the realization of increasingly complex works. His mature practice is defined by iconic series such as Persians, Seaforms, Macchia, Ikebana, and Chandeliers, all of which demonstrate his mastery of color layering, scale, and spatial interaction. These works frequently draw inspiration from natural forms and phenomena while asserting a strong visual presence that transforms their surrounding environments.

In addition to glass sculpture, Chihuly has produced an extensive body of work on paper, using painting and drawing as independent modes of expression rather than preparatory studies. These works reveal a spontaneous, gestural sensibility that parallels the fluidity of molten glass and underscores the conceptual continuity across his practice.

Chihuly's work has been exhibited extensively at major museums and public institutions worldwide and is represented in numerous permanent collections. His career has fundamentally altered the perception of glass within contemporary art, establishing a legacy defined by innovation, collaboration, and visual intensity.