Group of Four Trees
Public sculpture / Monumental site-specific installation • Jean Dubuffet (French, 1901–1985)
Style & Movement
Art Brut / Modernism (L'Hourloupe cycle)
Medium & Technique
Fiberglass over a steel frame structure with polyurethane paint; the black lines are hand-painted using a technique known as 'Hourloupe'.
Creation Period
1970–1972
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 43 feet (13.1 meters) in height; monumental vertical format.
Subject Description
Four abstract, organic 'tree' forms that defy traditional botanical representation. The work features a white background with heavy, black, jigsaw-like contour lines that create a vibrating, flattened visual effect against the urban grid. It represents a mental landscape brought into three-dimensional physical space.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good to Very Good (Considering outdoor public exposure); requires periodic maintenance due to environmental pollution and urban exposure.
Estimated Market Value
$15,000,000 - $25,000,000 (As a unique monumental commission, though practically priceless as permanent public art)
Auction Estimate
$10,000,000 - $20,000,000 if deaccessioned (highly unlikely)
Provenance History
Commissioned by David Rockefeller for the Chase Manhattan Plaza (now 28 Liberty Street), New York; gifted to the public space by the Chase Manhattan Bank.
Art Historical Significance
One of Dubuffet's most significant monumental works in the United States. It marks the pinnacle of his L'Hourloupe cycle, where he sought to create a 'total environment' that replaces reality with a world of pure imagination.
Notable Features
The contrast between its whimsical, hand-drawn appearance and the rigid, geometric international style architecture of the surrounding SOM-designed skyscrapers.
Condition Issues
Surface staining from rain runoff, minor chips in the polyurethane coating, potential UV degradation of paint, and urban grime accumulation.
Conservation Recommendations
Regular professional surface cleaning, reappointment of protective UV-resistant coatings, and monitoring of the structural steel core and fiberglass seams.