Early Modern Era

 The Great Depression's Influence on the Early Modern Era

Introduction

In the 1930s, the entire industrialized world felt the shock of the Great Depression. It began in the United States but was also very prominent in Great Britain and Germany. One of the most outstanding downfalls of the Great Depression was the stock market crash in 1929, which took years to recover from. Additionally, many lost their jobs and deeply suffered from unemployment. To combat this, the Works Progress Administration employed people as artists, which opened everyone up to a new outlook on art, music, and other cultural aspects that had been overlooked by many. 

Margaret Bourke-White: Pedestrians in New York City

Margaret Bourke-White was an American photographer who spent the early part of her career photographing scenes from the Great Depression. Her goal was to show the harsh reality of life during this era, and she achieved this by combining her brilliant photographs with journalism. 

This photograph was taken in 1930, right after the stock market crash, in New York City. It is titled Pedestrians in New York City. This photograph effortlessly captures the chaotic energy that was found everywhere in NYC during the 1930s. People are crowding the streets, cars are pushed to the side, and everyone seems to be rushing to get somewhere. Anyone who has spent time in NYC knows that walking in the street does not stop a car from running you over, but here, pedestrians have taken over. It is a perfect image that shows how all rules were thrown out the window during this stressful economic collapse. 

I love this photograph because of its ability to capture stillness during such a trying time. The spacing is different everywhere you look; this is how the audience can infer constant motion in the picture. People are crowded in areas, and those that have more space around them seem to be walking towards the crowds. The color adds a very beautiful stillness to the photograph. One can easily notice how each person is wearing a top hat, and although from above everyone looks the same, the brightness of each person's hat reminds the audience that these are individual people experiencing something very difficult. The texture that is inferred from this photo contrasts the hats and heads of people with the road and sidewalk. I love how the hats look clean and smooth, and the sidewalk and road have ruts and discrepancies in them. It gives me the impression that the hats are more of a symbol for keeping your head on straight during such a demanding time. 

Leon Bibel: Red Hot Franks

Leon Bibel was an American painter and printmaker, born in Poland but raised in California. He found work with the Federal Art Project in New York during the 1930s. 

This screenprint, Red Hot Franks, was made in New York in 1938. Leon depicts everyday scenes from New York City life, such as a vendor pushing his cart and tall buildings behind him. What is interesting about this work is that Leon seems to try and blend the vendor into the background, as if he is no more than the landscape itself. The vendor is also slumped over, showing low energy and inferring hopelessness. This was a very common theme throughout the Great Depression. People felt hopeless and as if they were nothing more than the landscape surrounding them. 

I really like this artwork. I love how abstract it is, but also the small details engraved in it. Lines are used endlessly in this print. The curb below the vendor swoops like a wave, the buildings are very simplistic and one is even drawn between the vendor's umbrella. These lines engrave the vendor into the cityscape. Shape is also very important in this piece of art. While the buildings, street, and cart are straight and pointed shapes, the vendor, umbrella, and curb are swooping shapes that add an element of contrast to the print. The color in this print is very dull and repetitive. It adds to the blandness radiating from the vendor. 

Seymour Fogel: Untitled (Pensive Black Man)

The American artist from New York, Seymour Fogel, focused mainly on painting or drawing portraits and murals. He worked with the Federal Arts Project and Works Progress Administration and painted around 20 murals for them. 

In 1936, Seymour created Untitled (Pensive Black Man) to illustrate the emotions during the Great Depression. The man in the art piece is reading a newspaper that says "attack." Based on his posture and expression, he is obviously upset or disheartened by what he has just read. This picture greatly emphasizes the ongoing struggle during the Great Depression, with constant bad news and heartache. 

This isn't my favorite work, but it does elicit a lot of emotion from the viewer. I think Seymour does a wonderful job of showing the raw truth of daily life during the 1930s. Value is very important in this art piece because of the shading. The shading is used to show the man's expression, as well as his slumped posture and plain background behind him. The texture in this picture also appears to match the mood as grim and rough. Not only that, but the lines are very blurred in this drawing, which adds more to the dull and sad emotion. 

Sources

“Margaret Bourke-White : Pedestrians in New York City, 1930#NYC #newyork #newyorkcity #1930s #photo #...” DEJAVU INTL., Margaret Bourke-White. Accessed 19 July 2023.

“Red Hot Franks.” Red Hot Franks | Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Red Hot Franks. Accessed 19 July 2023.

“Research Guides: Great Depression and New Deal: A General Resource Guide: Introduction.” Introduction - Great Depression and New Deal: A General Resource Guide - Research Guides at Library of Congress, Great Depression. Accessed 19 July 2023.

“Seymour Fogel.” Wikipedia, 19 Apr. 2023, Seymour Fogel.

“Untitled (Pensive Black Man).” Art Object Page, Untitled (Pensive Black Man). Accessed 19 July 2023.

“Works Progress Administration.” Wikipedia, 24 June 2023, WPA.