New Mural Creates Unique Entry to Chemistry Department

While the humanities may be the experts in art history, a new mural in the Joseph S. Skalny Science Center pays homage to the style of Rembrandt and the great philosophers of the past.

The mural features a medieval chemist at work, surrounded by flasks of colorful solutions and framed by a spiral stairway reminiscent of Rembrandt’s famous work, “Philosopher in Meditation.”

It was painted this summer by Dr. Alexey Ignatchenko, associate professor of chemistry. It took about 45 days to create, with Ignatchenko working evenings and weekends from early July to mid-August to bring the painting to life.

“Like Rembrandt’s painting, this too shows a man in the lab, chemist or alchemist, in isolation, thinking about something,” he explained. “In both paintings, there is a spiral staircase, light from a window, and the scene is probably in a basement.”

Ignatchenko added elements to bring the painting to life, including bookshelves to create a natural boundary. The shelves display texts that resemble Gmelin’s Reference Series, formally known as the Gmelin Handbook of Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry. Written in 1817, the multi-volume work explores each of the chemical elements. He also added a variety of flourishes, including Kipp’s apparatus, to fill out the space.

“Still, something was missing,” he said, “until I finally added a cat on the floor.”

With the mural now complete, the hallway has a unique way of greeting students.

“The mural gives Skalny a clear identity—students now know they’ve truly entered the home of chemistry,” Ignatchenko said.