Companionship
It takes many shapes: a quiet pet, a walk in nature, a special object, or your own inner strength. We often forget that help is always right there.
The artwork here shows how we connect with people, animals, and the world around us. While you look, we invite you to think:
What supports you when things get difficult?
Where do you find your sense of calm?
Don’t just watch. Connect. Call a friend. Go outside. Hold onto a happy memory. Companionship is like an invisible thread. It holds us together, even when we don’t see it.
Now, it’s your turn.
Don’t just look at the art—be a part of it! Create your own “companionship” right here. Share your story or tell us what companionship means to you. We’d love to hear from you.
All images included in the exhibition are under CC0 license andavailable for non-commercial use, or in the public domain. Fullattribution and links for each image are listed here:
The Family Concert, Jan Steen, 1666, Copyright Art Institute of Chicago, CC0. Reference number: 1891.65
Mrs. Fleckenstein and Friend in Garden, Louis Fleckenstein, 1907–1943, Copyright Getty Museums, CC0, Object Number: 85.XM.28.1297
Couple Dancing, Paul Wolff, 1940s, Copyright Getty Museums, CC0, Object Number: 84.XM.139.138
Couple with a Pet Mouse, Suzuki Harunobu, 1763-1770, Copyright Art Institute of Chicago, CC0. Reference number: 1925.2123
Woman with a Cat, Max Liebermann, 1878, Copyright Getty Museums, CC0, Object Number: 87.PA.6
Irises-Vincent van Gogh, 1889, Copyright Getty Museums, CC0, Object Number: 90.PA.20
A Walk at Dusk, Caspar David Friedrich, about 1830–1835, Copyright Getty Museums, CC0, Object Number: 93.PA.14
Barbara Evans and Phyllis the Doll, Frederick H. Evans, about 1900, Copyright Getty Museums, CC0, Object Number: 84.XM.444.72
Longing Soul, Jeanne E. Bennett, 1904, Copyright Getty Museums, CC0 Object Number: 85.XP.314.35