For the Early Modern Era I was drawn towards the Great Depression. Nearly one-hundred years later the Great Depression is a time in American history that everyone is aware of. The stock market crash of 1929 that preceded the worst economic downturn in our nation's history is still feared to this day. Knowing this I wanted to explore the art of the depression and how it was impacted, and actually thrived, during this otherwise dark time period.
The first piece I chose is Newsboy finished in 1938 By Carl G. Hill an African American artist. This piece was created during the later half of the Great Depression which is a theme all of the pieces I chose share. This is likely due to the nature of art during this time period. The most likely reason I could find was due Works Progress Administration which was created in 1935 under President Roosevelt that created millions of jobs in the arts.
This piece was created by Carl G. Hill when he was a teenager at the Harlem Community Art Center which was funded through the WPA. The piece itself was a lithograph print. This piece beautifully encapsulates the Great Depression. The shading of this work highlights the main subject with his shirt and body more opaque than the background. We see the main subject is a young boy likely working to help support his family. Selling newspapers which were the backbone of the American Household at the time. One of the cheap amenities alongside radio that were afforded in order to stay informed about the happenings of the nation. The use of large rectangular shapes creates an almost engulfing backdrop around the boy. The cars are stacked upon each other and buildings are stacked upon the cars while the skyscrapers are stacked upon the buildings. They highlight the industrialization of the nation and the urbanization. At this point more Americans lived in urban areas than rural ones.
The next piece I have chosen is Miners by American artist Elizabeth Olds completed in 1937.
I chose this piece due to its juxtaposition of technological advancement of the era with the death of industry. Shortly preceding the Great Depression America enjoyed the greatest advancements in technology that had been seen up until this point. Electricity and the headlamp were less than half a century old technology by this point. We see use of bright gold and yellow used to show the light pouring towards an unknown subject we cannot see. This ambiguity is heightened when viewing the miners' faces. Dark lines are used to over accentuate their facial expressions. On the left we see a deep scowl almost of disgust. The middle miner appears to be that of curiosity mixed with disappointment and anxiety with his nostrils flared and piercing eyes and eyebrows. The man on the right appears pleased drawn towards the light.
During the Great Depression natural resource extraction dropped significantly. There was no new construction being created and a drop in consumption of jewelry products. There was no need to maintain the mining extraction of the past. During this era conservationists advocated for the conservation of natural resources and Theodore Roosevelt was in favor putting forth many protections and limitations of what could be extracted. This all came together to prevent the rebounding of the natural resource extraction sector of the economy. It also creates a symbolism that possibly the miners are actually one miner experiencing the destruction of his livelihood. This is supported in the lack of clear definition of lines between each miner. They almost morph into on subject.
The final piece I have chosen is Brooklyn Bridge by Louis Lozowick finished in 1930.
This piece conveys the sentiment of America during the Great Depression. The Brooklyn Bridge was completed during the height of the industrial era in 1869. By the Great Depression New York City had surpassed London to become the most populous city in the world. The rapid urbanization was fueled by the country's unique advantage to produce steel, concrete, and other industrial goods but more importantly the millions of Americans hustling and striving to create this urban scape through their own personal achievement. Drawings of architecture was very popular during the early modern era. Lozowick had a unique way of using this popular subject to convey the feelings of the entire nation. We see a singular biker in on the bridge meant to move hundreds at a time. The dark shading of the sky above the bridge conveys the uncertainty of the time, was recovery possible. My favorite aspect of this drawing though is the linear perspective we see of the structural wire of the bridge. They pull the viewers eye to the darkly shaded bridge and its resilience during a tense time. The structural wire also represent the strength of the nation. Like bone scaffolding meant to provide shape and a place for new muscle to attach, the structural wire is meant to support the nation. The background of this drawing depicts the buildings of the city but they do not surpass the bridge. It is a representation of hope and of the gate of America is still the greatest pathway to success even if it is emptier than before.
Works Cited
Brooklyn Bridge. Art Institute of Chicago
Carl G. Hill Newsboy. The Met Museum
Conservation in the Progressive Era. The Library of Congress
Miners. Smithsonian American Art Museum
Today in History - April 8. The Library of Congress
For this weeks Early Modern Exhibit, I really enjoyed this post. The Miners by Queen Elizabeth post I found really fascinating with the use of color to create the illusion of light. The Great Depression image of "The Newsboy", as well was something I enjoyed due to the coloring of it. The coloring of this image was a perfect encapsulation of what the Great Depression felt like for people, gloom and dreary feelings. I think had it been done in color, the message wouldn't have been the same and it would have been less authentic. The shading of this as you said highlights the main focus, the newsboy. The size of the cars creates a space that shows how young the newsboy is, it looks as thought the cars are about to trample him. Its unrealistic depiction of the size of the cars was something that I really enjoyed. I did not enjoy the Brooklyn Bridge image as much, while it was a great choice, it was a little more boring to me than the other images. The Brooklyn Bridge was accurately depicted and well done, but it just was not my favorite. The gloomy color, while it ties well with America during the Great Depression, it is just sad for me to see New York, my home like that. The elements of the Early Modern Era are clearly depicted and very accurately described. This Era was very much categorized by the Great Depression.
ReplyDeleteThese were all great choices in relation to art around the Depression. I quite like the use of color in "Miners", as I can always appreciate art in a limited palette. While it's mostly yellow and blue, there are small hints of red, meaning that this piece uses only primary colors. The explanation of the faces possibly representing the emotions of one man was also fascinating. I also enjoy the look of "Newsboy", the shading and traditional feel looks really nice, as does the perspective. I think a newsboy is a great choice when showcasing the Depression, since they became so important for the average American during that time. Fun Fact: It was newsboys during the Depression that really promoted the cultural idea of the entrepreneurial teenager that later became a common trope. For me, though, my favorite example was "Brooklyn Bridge." I think it captures the feeling of the Depression perfectly, and I love how the small lone figure on the massive bridge makes the viewer feel isolated and small in the presence of this grand, looming structure.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Depression was a very significant and fairly recent event in US History and it is very interesting to look back on the art from the era. I think all the pieces you have chosen are wonderful representations of the time in the dreary and unknown future aspects. "Newsboy" stands out to me with urban backdrop and almost empty feeling. I find that piece and the "Brooklyn Bridge" fascinating in their portrayals of empty urban spaces giving a sense of uncertainty that the Great Depression was typical of. Thanks for the share!
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