Early Modern Art Analysis

 The Influence of WW1

Introduction

World War One, which is also known as the Great War, began in 1914 (American Art Collaborative). Due to the lingering effects of this war on many of the economies of the countries involved in this war, it ultimately lead to the main factor that started The Great Depression in 1929. The Great Depression in the United States was specifically impacted since Europe struggled to pay war debts and reparations (What Was the Great Depression and Why Did It Start in the USA?). This Great Depression caused the splitting of many families in search for work even though there was little to no work to be found and many factories and places where there was work shut down (What Was the Great Depression and Why Did It Start in the USA?). The impact that this depression had on so many people was a devastating and harsh experience that many artists during this time were able to display through their artwork.

Art and The Great Depression

Norman Rockwell, Expressman, 1924, published by The Saturday Evening Post in 1925.

In 1924, Normal Rockwell, an illustrator for The Saturday Evening Post, created his piece Expressman, to create a piece of art that many Americans could relate to while doing so with some hints of humor (American, Norman Rockwell). The expressman that is illustrated seems to be exhausted as many of the people working during this time must have felt. Rockwell includes a thermometer behind the main to show that this exhaustion could also likely be caused by the heat. The comedic value that Rockwell cleverly adds is through the addition of the chicken to the left of the painting since it appears that this chicken has not interrupted the man and his slumber. Rockwell uses very muted colors in this piece which makes this piece have a very soft effect that allows a viewer to appreciate and take in many of the details that are included in the piece. Something that I noticed is highlighted or important details to take in are all in the color red; the chickens wattle, the handkerchief in the man's hand (presumably to wipe any of his sweat), and even the man's face is highlighted by the exhaustion-induced blush on his cheeks and ears. Something else I noticed in the painting is the use of lines, specifically on the man's pants because this creates depth in the piece which enhances the realistic style that Rockwell uses.

Clyfford Still, PH-80, 1935, created in Pullman, Washington.

Clyfford Still painted PH-80 in 1935 during the Great Depression. Still was one of the many artists that eventually impacted the start of Abstract Impressionism after World War II. The artwork that Still created was always used to convey themes about life, struggle, and death. PH-80, painted by Still during the Great Depression, was presumably done to depict the struggles that people, including himself, faced during this time (Clyfford Still.). The piece depicts four people, all of which looked tired, depressed, and famished. Even though this piece has a somewhat abstract feel to it, the immense detail that is used in the piece portrays a lot to the viewer. The dark background helps to highlight the people and make them the main focus of the painting. The texture that is created by Still's brushstrokes highlights many of the details that I have mentioned such as the detail of the person's ribcage being very prominent or the cheekbones of most of the people being very sunken in. The shading in this piece also causes for a dramatic effect. Something else I noticed about the image is how large the peoples' hands is intriguing to me.

Thomas Hart Benton, Prodigal Son, 1939-1941, creation place unknown.

Thomas Hart Benton painted Prodigal Son from 1939-1941 which was just at the end of The Great Depression and the start of World War II. The Prodigal Son is a biblical story that Benton used to relate to his own life during this depression. In the story of the Prodigal Son, the young man goes out into the world to seek his fortune but this does not go as planned (American Art Collaborative). When he returns to his broken home, his father welcomes him in a forgiving manner. Benton relates heavily to this story, however, his piece has a twist. When Benton returned home to Missouri from New York to teach art, his welcoming was not as positive as the man in the story and this is illustrated in the painting (American Art Collaborative). The use of muted colors and contrasting tones sets a gloomy and dark mood to this painting, There is also some great detail that is included in the piece, specifically the carcass of the ox in the bottom left corner. The man's house is also very broken down but there is no one to greet him. These details help connect to The Great Depression and the awful things that many people were experiencing during this time. Not being able to have jobs, losing homes or being forced to leave homes, not being able to afford food, or only afford a small amount.

Thoughts and Discussion

All of these pieces depict a major period in history that was caused by World War I, which artists during the time were able to depict in so many ways. From super realistic paintings to more abstract styles to even using other stories to create pieces that are still relatable at the time, artists were able to express the feelings and emotions of millions of people during The Great Depression. After reading many of my classmates' blogs in the last unit, I have come to appreciate the more realistic and historical aspects of these art pieces. Although I would still not want to own any of these pieces and they certainly bring a lot of sadness to my heart, the message ad impacts behind them are very touching and I have a lot of appreciation for them and for the artists.

Citations

“American Art Collaborative.” Prodigal Son, Dallas Museum of Art | American Art Collaborative, http://browse.americanartcollaborative.org/object/dma/5303880.html.

American, Norman Rockwell. “Norman Rockwell: Expressman.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1 Jan. 1970, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/482239.

“Clyfford Still.” Clyfford Still Museum, 5 Oct. 2022, https://clyffordstillmuseum.org/art-artist/clyfford-still/.

“PH-80, 1935.” Clyfford Still Museum Online Collection, https://collection.clyffordstillmuseum.org/object/ph-80.

“What Was the Great Depression and Why Did It Start in the USA?” South African History Online, https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/what-was-great-depression-and-why-did-it-start-usa#:~:text=The%20lingering%20effects%20of%20World,that%20began%20the%20Great%20Depression.

“World War I: Summary, Causes & Facts.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009, https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/world-war-i-history.