The early 20th century was a whirlwind of events for both the world and the United of States. The First World War rocked the world from 1914 to 1918 and the Second World War took hold of the world from 1939 to 1945. In addition to these two great calamities, the U.S., and subsequently the world, was hit by the Great Depression which ate up the years between 1929 to 1939. This was a especially difficult time for the American people because it was caused by events that were out of the control of the normal individual.
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 was caused by the trading of over 12 million shares in a single day. This resulted in the loss of billions of dollars and took out thousands of investors. To top this, The Dust Bowl was the name given to the droughted Southern Plains of the U.S. which suffered severe dry periods and dust storms during the 1930s. In a country where the "American Dream" was determined by how hard an individual worked, it was devastating when these out-of-control events ripped that dream of success from millions of individuals. This was a time where dreams where shattered and futures looked bleak, all of which is visible in the artwork of the time.
Man beside Wheelbarrow, Dorothea Lange
San Francisco
c. 1934
The first piece we will discuss is Man beside Wheelbarrow by Dorothea Lange. This gelatin silver print captures a sunken down man, head in his hands, leaning against a wall, and his wheelbarrow overturned. The black and white color help convey the seriousness of the situation, this man is suffering through the Great Depression. Another element to note is the positioning, or space, of the objects, the man is hunched over next to the wheelbarrow. This helps the viewer find the connection between the wheelbarrow and the man, the man was likely a blue-collar worker who now sits without employment, signified by the wheelbarrow sitting overturned next to him. Finally comes the contrast between the man and his surroundings. It helps to bring the viewers attention to the man himself and makes the viewer linger on the hunched over and broken man.
This piece gives me a sense of distress and brings me sadness. Growing up surrounded by blue collar workers instilled in me a sense of duty and hard work. I can only imagine how these individual felt during this time of uncertainty and despair, after having lived hard working lives dedicated to their respective crafts, I can't imagine how lost these individuals felt during this time without work.
Apple Vendor, Barbara Stevenson
United States
c. 1934
The second piece is Apple Vendor by Barbara Stevenson. The colors chosen for this piece are help portray the seriousness of the situation that was being faced by the American people. There is nothing fancy about the colors chosen, they are mute and simple, and there seems to be little blending of colors throughout the piece. The focal point of the piece is the man sitting and selling apples. An interesting element to note here is the lines of the drawings, while the man hunched over man is the focal point of the painting, lines from his head and feet seem to focus in on the mother and child that stand behind him hand-in-hand. It seems to me like this piece not only portrays the harsh reality of the time, but it also chooses to focus on the near future that can come from the child, the soft yellow background helps with this image. While the piece has touches of sadness, it still also shows a ray of hope.
PH -77, Clyfford Still
United States
c. 1936
The third and final piece is PH-77 by Clyfford Still. At first glance, this may seem like a normal painting that shows two men collecting wheat from a field. It is only when you take a closer look at the piece and its artistic elements that you begin to see the ties to the great depression. First is the choice of color. Like Apple Vendor, there is nothing fancy about the color choice, they are not vibrant or exotic, they are mute and basic. Next, we must look at the shape of the men. They look anatomically correct with the exception of their arms. Their arms are unnaturally long, this could be a reference to the drought that was being experienced by Southern Plains of the U.S. and can symbolize the difficulty that farmers were having with crops. The workers had to reach so much more in order to live. Finally, we must take not of the tone of the piece. The area surrounding the two men is dark but the men themselves are wearing bright shirts. This choice of tone in this piece could be used as a way to current despair of the situation but the brightness around the men could serve to demonstrate the hope that things will take a turn for the better.
Works Cited
Hi Daniel, thank you for your wonderful post and for introducing me to these paintings. I almost chose this topic as well but opted to focus on the New Deal Era instead. Having been immersed in those works for the last week, it is fascinating to see the dramatic shift in tone in the works that you chose. These pieces really do convey the bleakness of the era.
ReplyDeleteHey Daniel, I like your chosen photograph and paintings. I agree with the theme of the paintings. The current situation is very bleak. In the Apple Vendor painting, I like the patterns from the brick wall and the suspension bridge on the background. I feel a sense of empathy for the unemployed man sitting on the cinder blocks. Thank you for your post.
ReplyDelete