The American Scene: Graphics of the 1930s and 1940s | Spencer Museum of Art

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Exhibition

The American Scene: Graphics of the 1930s and 1940s

The American Scene: Graphics of the 1930s and 1940s

Elizabeth Wright, curator

July 2, 1985–September 29, 1985

White Gallery, Spencer Museum of Art, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

Prints and photographs from the permanent collection demonstrated that social realism and idealism flourished side by side during America's depression years.

Exhibition images

Works of art

Serving Barbecue at Pie Town Fair, New Mexico, Russell Lee (1903–1986) — Russell Lee (1903–1986)

Serving Barbecue at Pie Town Fair, New Mexico, 1940

Farmer's Kitchen, Hale County, Alabama, Walker Evans (1903–1975) — Walker Evans (1903–1975)

Farmer's Kitchen, Hale County, Alabama, 1936

Mexican beet worker washing up after a day's work near East Grand Forks, Minnesota, Russell Lee (1903–1986) — Russell Lee (1903–1986)

Mexican beet worker washing up after a day's work near East Grand Forks, Minnesota, 1937

In the Spring, George Charles Miller (1894–1965); Grant Wood (1891–1942); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000) — George Charles Miller (1894–1965); Grant Wood (1891–1942); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000)

In the Spring, 1939

The Greensboro Lumber Co., Greensboro, Georgia, Jack Delano (1914–1997) — Jack Delano (1914–1997)

The Greensboro Lumber Co., Greensboro, Georgia, 1941

Negro Sharecropper Family Working in Cotton Field, Georgia, Marion Post Wolcott (1910–1990) — Marion Post Wolcott (1910–1990)

Negro Sharecropper Family Working in Cotton Field, Georgia, circa 1938

Garment District, Donald Freeman (1908–1978) — Donald Freeman (1908–1978)

Garment District, circa 1939

Added Attraction, Donald Freeman (1908–1978) — Donald Freeman (1908–1978)

Added Attraction, circa 1939

Ninth Ave. Line and Corner of Radio Row, Cortlandt Street, New York, Berenice Abbott (1898–1991) — Berenice Abbott (1898–1991)

Ninth Ave. Line and Corner of Radio Row, Cortlandt Street, New York, 1936

Bread Line-No One Has Starved, Reginald Marsh (1898–1954) — Reginald Marsh (1898–1954)

Bread Line-No One Has Starved, 1932

Baptism of members of Primitive Baptist Church in Triplett Creek, Rowan County, near Morehead, Kentucky, Marion Post Wolcott (1910–1990) — Marion Post Wolcott (1910–1990)

Baptism of members of Primitive Baptist Church in Triplett Creek, Rowan County, near Morehead, Kentucky, 1940

Eating Pie at Pie Supper in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, Russell Lee (1903–1986) — Russell Lee (1903–1986)

Eating Pie at Pie Supper in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, 1940

Scrap for War, Charles Frederick Ramus (1902–1979) — Charles Frederick Ramus (1902–1979)

Scrap for War, 1939

And Now Where?, Rockwell Kent (1882–1971) — Rockwell Kent (1882–1971)

And Now Where?, 1936

Electrical Building at Night, Gerald Kenneth Geerlings (1897–1998) — Gerald Kenneth Geerlings (1897–1998)

Electrical Building at Night, 1933

Night in New York, Martin Lewis (1881–1962); The Chicago Society of Etchers (founded 1910) — Martin Lewis (1881–1962); The Chicago Society of Etchers (founded 1910)

Night in New York, 1932

New York, N.Y., Louis Faurer (1916–2001) — Louis Faurer (1916–2001)

New York, N.Y., 1947

Texhoma, Texas. Wheat Storage in the Northern Panhandle, John Vachon (1914–1975) — John Vachon (1914–1975)

Texhoma, Texas. Wheat Storage in the Northern Panhandle, 1942

Threshing, Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000) — Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000)

Threshing, 1941

1st Avenue Market, Louis Lozowick (1892–1973) — Louis Lozowick (1892–1973)

1st Avenue Market, 1934

Hester Street Scene, New York, Berenice Abbott (1898–1991) — Berenice Abbott (1898–1991)

Hester Street Scene, New York, 1938

Asleep on Fire Escape During Heat Spell, Weegee (1899–1968) — Weegee (1899–1968)

Asleep on Fire Escape During Heat Spell, 1938

Employment Office, Jolan Gross Bettelheim (1900–1972) — Jolan Gross Bettelheim (1900–1972)

Employment Office, 1937

Election Night, Times Square, Donald Freeman (1908–1978) — Donald Freeman (1908–1978)

Election Night, Times Square, 1934

Winter Sunrise, The Sierra Nevada from Lone Pine, California, Ansel Adams (1902–1984) — Ansel Adams (1902–1984)

Winter Sunrise, The Sierra Nevada from Lone Pine, California, 1944

Porch of a Negro's House, Tupelo, Mississippi, Walker Evans (1903–1975) — Walker Evans (1903–1975)

Porch of a Negro's House, Tupelo, Mississippi, 1936

Fertility, George Charles Miller (1894–1965); Grant Wood (1891–1942); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000) — George Charles Miller (1894–1965); Grant Wood (1891–1942); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000)

Fertility, 1939

Rainy Day, Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000) — Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000)

Rainy Day, 1938

Sanctuary (large version), John Steuart Curry (1897–1946); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000) — John Steuart Curry (1897–1946); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000)

Sanctuary (large version), 1944

Skull, Badlands, South Dakota, Arthur Rothstein (1915–1985) — Arthur Rothstein (1915–1985)

Skull, Badlands, South Dakota, 1936

Vernon Evans (with his family) of Lemmon, South Dakota, near Missoula, Montana on Highway 10. Leaving grasshopper-ridden and drought-stricken area for a new start in Oregon or Washington., Arthur Rothstein (1915–1985) — Arthur Rothstein (1915–1985)

Vernon Evans (with his family) of Lemmon, South Dakota, near Missoula, Montana on Highway 10. Leaving grasshopper-ridden and drought-stricken area for a new start in Oregon or Washington., 1936

Rehabilitated Lime Kiln, Gerhard H. Bakker (1906–1988) — Gerhard H. Bakker (1906–1988)

Rehabilitated Lime Kiln, 1934

Industrial Wichita #1, William Judson Dickerson (1904–1972) — William Judson Dickerson (1904–1972)

Industrial Wichita #1, 1934

Fagoel Ventilators, Imogen Cunningham (1883–1976) — Imogen Cunningham (1883–1976)

Fagoel Ventilators, 1934

Windmill, Taos, Edward Weston (1886–1958) — Edward Weston (1886–1958)

Windmill, Taos, 1937

Kansas Harvest, Mary Huntoon (1896–1970) — Mary Huntoon (1896–1970)

Kansas Harvest, 1934

Clouds over Enfield (Connecticut), Asa Cheffetz (1896–1965) — Asa Cheffetz (1896–1965)

Clouds over Enfield (Connecticut), 1935

Sharecropper's Wife, Hale County, Alabama, Walker Evans (1903–1975) — Walker Evans (1903–1975)

Sharecropper's Wife, Hale County, Alabama, 1936

Our Good Earth, John Steuart Curry (1897–1946); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000) — John Steuart Curry (1897–1946); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000)

Our Good Earth, 1942

Coney Island Beach, 4 p.m., July 21, 1940, Weegee (1899–1968) — Weegee (1899–1968)

Coney Island Beach, 4 p.m., July 21, 1940, 1940

untitled (beach scene), Reginald Marsh (1898–1954) — Reginald Marsh (1898–1954)

untitled (beach scene), circa 1938–1940

Fun on the Beach, William LeRoy Flint (1909–1991) — William LeRoy Flint (1909–1991)

Fun on the Beach, 1937

School Children Singing, Pie Town, New Mexico, Russell Lee (1903–1986) — Russell Lee (1903–1986)

School Children Singing, Pie Town, New Mexico, 1940

Departure of the Joads, Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975) — Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975)

Departure of the Joads, 1939

Dust Storm, Cimarron County, Oklahoma, Arthur Rothstein (1915–1985) — Arthur Rothstein (1915–1985)

Dust Storm, Cimarron County, Oklahoma, 1936

Seed Time and Harvest, George Charles Miller (1894–1965); Grant Wood (1891–1942); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000) — George Charles Miller (1894–1965); Grant Wood (1891–1942); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000)

Seed Time and Harvest, 1937

The Plowman's Refreshment, Georges Schreiber (1904–1977); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000) — Georges Schreiber (1904–1977); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000)

The Plowman's Refreshment, 1942

Horseplay, Paul Cadmus (1904–1999) — Paul Cadmus (1904–1999)

Horseplay, 1935

Edge of Town, Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000) — Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000)

Edge of Town, 1938

The Mart, Marguerite Redman Dorgeloh (1890–1944) — Marguerite Redman Dorgeloh (1890–1944)

The Mart, circa 1939

Elms and Hill, Luigi Lucioni (1900–1988) — Luigi Lucioni (1900–1988)

Elms and Hill, 1934

Murray Hill Hotel, Park Avenue and 41st Street, Berenice Abbott (1898–1991) — Berenice Abbott (1898–1991)

Murray Hill Hotel, Park Avenue and 41st Street, 1935

Niagara Falls, Albert Abramovitz (1879–1963) — Albert Abramovitz (1879–1963)

Niagara Falls, 1938

Prize Stallions, John Steuart Curry (1897–1946); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000) — John Steuart Curry (1897–1946); Associated American Artists (active 1934–2000)

Prize Stallions, 1938