Ralston Crawford: Air & Space & War

Ralston Crawford’s art underwent a dramatic evolution in the 1940s influenced by aviation—from his personal experiences in flight, to his exposure to the construction of airplanes and the destruction they wrought in the war.

Crawford served in the Weather Division of the Army Air Force and continued working as an artist through the War—receiving a commission to paint the Curtiss-Wright Aircraft Plant in Buffalo and an assignment to observe and record the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll. These experiences had a profound impact on Crawford and marked a major turning point in his life and art. The Vilcek Foundation has amassed the most significant collection of this material extant: forty-eight paintings, photographs, and drawings. Examining these works provides insight into the role aviation played in the shift that occurred in the “nature of construction” of Crawford’s art.

Wed – Mon 9:30am – 4:30pm
Tue CLOSED

$18 adults
$15 seniors (65+)
$6 students with ID & children ages 6-18
Free for children ages five & under and members of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art

Admission to the Brandywine River Museum of Art is free on the first Sunday of the month from February until November. 

Brandywine River Museum of Art
1 Hoffman's Mill Road

Chadds Ford, PA