Early Modern Era: The Great Depression

All too often, the deepest of art emerges from the darkest of times. The Great Depression, which lasted from 1929 to 1933, weighed heavily on many American souls and brought forth profound works of art. During this period of time and in the years to follow, changes in technology allowed culture to spread faster and art to become more accessible. It was therefore extremely important to artists and their audiences to connect through the pain they all shared, in simple pictures that displayed life and suffering as it was. 

"Family Flats," created by Millard Sheets in 1935, is a drawing that shows a neighborhood from Sheets' hometown, Los Angeles, California. These flats, or tenements, were buildings that had been divided into apartments that were overcrowded and much too small for large families. Oftentimes, the flats were the only place for families to live during the Great Depression. 

There isn't much information about the reason Millard drew this picture, but to me it seems clear that he wanted to show the world what living in extreme poverty looked like. In the drawing, several women are doing laundry together, but look dirty and tired. Buildings rise high into the sky, clotheslines strung every which way, observing the commotion down below. 

A lot is happening in the picture. There is so much to look at, and even though the objects are arranged well, the audience can feel the chaos of the moment. Sheets relies on value to create the illusion of dark and light, drawing the viewer's eyes to the whiteness of the sky and the women's faces. He also uses form to show his audience the monstrosity of the buildings--so big, and yet so crowded. The coarse texture of the drawing adds to the feeling of sadness that should be invoked in the viewer. 

During the Depression, President Roosevelt sought to end it by forming the New Deal, which would employ many desperate Americans and help the country get back on its feet. Part of the New Deal included the Federal Art Project, which funded visual artists and arranged traveling art shows for them to display their works. One of these artists was a photographer named Dorothea Lange, and she made a great effort to capture humans in their most desperate state. 

Lange took the above photo, "Dust Bowl Envelopes Swathes of the U.S.," in New Mexico, 1935. "It was conditions of this sort which forced many famers to abandon the area," she said (History.com Editors). This photograph displays a man standing silently against the dusty wind, and it should invoke a deep feeling of sorrow in the audience as they think about what these people had to endure. 

Though it is a photo, it is still arranged in an artistic fashion. The form and space of the picture allow the audience to become a part of the moment, with each object placed so that our minds can grasp it easily. The value of the picture is also very important, as the audience can truly see the dust and the man standing inside of it. We can see his shape, his sorrowful demeanor, and that should make us sad. 

The above painting, titled "New Road," is much more peaceful than the other two pieces of art. It was created by Grant Wood in 1939, most likely somewhere in Iowa, years after the Depression had ended. Though it does not seem to fit the theme of depression, it still follows that theme quite well. Many of Wood's art was intended to draw Americans away from the feeling of devastation and point them towards hope. In fact, even the painting's title seems to tell his audience to start afresh.

Wood's use of color in this picture invokes warmth and peace, with the soft oranges and greens that fade with distance. The shape and form of the picture is round, and it doesn't seem to have many sharp edges; perhaps it is meant to relax the observer. I think it marks a good end to the depression, to awake from the sadness and begin a journey on a new road. 

Sources

“Art and the Great Depression | Uncovering America.” PBS Learning Media. Accessed 14 July 2022.

History.Com Editors. “Artists of the New Deal.” HISTORY, 2017.

Kindig, Jessie. “Culture and Arts during the Depression.” University of Washington, 2009.

Yang, Gu. “American Art during the Great Depression.” Art Exchange, 2011.