An exhibition of works by Julia Thecla, who was widely known in Chicago during the 1940s and 1950s for paintings that transported viewers into the realm of fantasy, will open the 2006-2007 season at the DePaul Art Museum, 2350 N. Kenmore Ave., Sept. 14 with a reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Thecla exhibition, titled “Undiscovered Worlds,” runs through Nov. 22. Admission to the opening reception and the exhibition are free to the public.

Thecla, a native of Illinois, is now largely forgotten as an artist, but her ethereal and sensuous portrayal of dreams, fairy tales, Dionysian spectacles and planetary domains were visionary explorations of alternative realms. A student of the Art Institute of Chicago who distinguished herself by producing illuminating work for more than 30 years, Thecla slipped into an obscurity that was typical for women artists of the time, especially those who chose to remain unmarried or unconnected to a well-known male artist.

The exhibition, according to Louise Lincoln, director of the DePaul Art Museum, examines Thecla’s struggle for recognition as a female artist and reveals the tensions of the Chicago art world at mid-century.

“Thecla’s paintings are idiosyncratic and beautiful, and her career raises important issues about gender, reception and reputation,” said Lincoln. “Amazingly, she found multiple strategies – as an artist and a person – to remain visible while frequently cast on the margins.”

“Julia Thecla: Undiscovered Worlds” is guest curated by Joanna Gardner-Huggett, an assistant professor in the art and art history department at DePaul. The exhibition includes 14 works from the university’s own collection and is augmented by loans from the Hirshhorn Museum, the Smithsonian’s museum of international modern and contemporary art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Museum hours are: Mon. through Thurs., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fri., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sat. and Sun., noon to 5 p.m. An accompanying series of lectures on 20th century women artists will take place in October. For information about the lecture series, or for more information on “Julia Thecla: Undiscovered Worlds,” call the DePaul Art Museum at 773/325-7506 or visit the Web site: museums.depaul.edu/artwebsite.