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

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

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

Russell Lee

1940

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

Walker Evans

1936

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

Russell Lee

1937

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

Grant Wood, Associated American Artists, George Charles Miller

1939

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

Jack Delano

1941

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

Marion Post Wolcott

circa 1938

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

Donald Freeman

circa 1939

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

Donald Freeman

circa 1939

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

Berenice Abbott

1936

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

Reginald Marsh

1932

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

Marion Post Wolcott

1940

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

Russell Lee

1940

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

Charles Frederick Ramus

1939

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

Rockwell Kent

1936

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

Gerald Kenneth Geerlings

1933

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

Martin Lewis, The Chicago Society of Etchers

1932

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

Louis Faurer

1947

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

John Vachon

1942

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

Thomas Hart Benton, Associated American Artists

1941

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

Louis Lozowick

1934

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

Berenice Abbott

1938

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

Weegee

1938

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

Jolan Gross Bettelheim

1937

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

Donald Freeman

1934

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

Ansel Adams

1944

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

Walker Evans

1936

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

Grant Wood, Associated American Artists, George Charles Miller

1939

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

Thomas Hart Benton, Associated American Artists

1938

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

John Steuart Curry, Associated American Artists

1944

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

Arthur Rothstein

1936

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. — 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

1936

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

Gerhard H. Bakker

1934

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

William Judson Dickerson

1934

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

Imogen Cunningham

1934

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

Edward Weston

1937

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

Mary Huntoon

1934

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

Asa Cheffetz

1935

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

Walker Evans

1936

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

John Steuart Curry, Associated American Artists

1942

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

Weegee

1940

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

Reginald Marsh

circa 1938–1940

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

William LeRoy Flint

1937

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

Russell Lee

1940

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

Thomas Hart Benton

1939

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

Arthur Rothstein

1936

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

Grant Wood, Associated American Artists, George Charles Miller

1937

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

Georges Schreiber, Associated American Artists

1942

Paul Cadmus (1904–1999), Horseplay — Horseplay

Paul Cadmus

1935

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

Thomas Hart Benton, Associated American Artists

1938

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

Marguerite Redman Dorgeloh

circa 1939

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

Luigi Lucioni

1934

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

Berenice Abbott

1935

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

Albert Abramovitz

1938

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

John Steuart Curry, Associated American Artists

1938