Thunderhead and Sun Rays

1917

Dating: Exact year
Held at: The Cleveland Museum of Art
Medium: graphite on paper
Dimensions: Sheet: 27.8 x 21.6 cm (10 15/16 x 8 1/2 in.); Mount: 30.5 x 24.4 cm (12 x 9 5/8 in.)
Collection no.: 2024.52
Attribution: By the artist

About this artwork

Thunderhead and Sun Rays — Charles Burchfield. 1917.

Medium: graphite on paper. Dimensions: Sheet: 27.8 x 21.6 cm (10 15/16 x 8 1/2 in.); Mount: 30.5 x 24.4 cm (12 x 9 5/8 in.).

Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

Charles Burchfield considered the period during which this drawing was made his “golden year.” It followed a time of self-doubt and uncertainty: after graduating from the Cleveland School of Art, Burchfield enrolled in the National Academy of Design in New York City, but dropped out after one day, returning to Salem to work an office job. During his breaks, he sketched incessantly, creating sheets such as this one, which depicted the landscape around him.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.

Location checked Sep 10, 2026. This does not indicate whether the work is on display.

Artwork sources