A crowd-pleaser since their installation in 1977, the Marc Chagall windows at the Art Institute will be temporarily removed May 2 to be cleaned while a new building wing is constructed.
The vibrant blue “America Windows,” which have caught the attention of millions of Art Institute visitors, will be reinstalled in 2009 at the latest, once there is no longer any risk of damage to the windows, officials said.
Chagall, known for his colorful and fanciful work, designed the windows to commemorate the nation’s bicentennial in 1976. After hearing about the death of Mayor Richard J. Daley, the Russian-born artist dedicated the windows to him. Art Institute officials said the windows could be gone from two to four years and are expected to be returned to the same general area.
