Coal Elevator by Hyman J. Warsager

Coal Elevator c. 1935 - 1943

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print, etching

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print

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etching

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social-realism

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cityscape

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regionalism

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realism

Dimensions: image: 124 x 175 mm sheet: 205 x 280 mm

Copyright: National Gallery of Art: CC0 1.0

Hyman Warsager made this etching, "Coal Elevator," sometime in the 1930s or 40s. It depicts a coal elevator, a towering structure that transfers coal from trains to storage. This image evokes the economic and social realities of the Great Depression in the United States. Note the stamp in the bottom left corner. The Federal Art Project, or FAP, was a government program that employed artists to create works of art during this time of widespread unemployment. Warsager, like many artists, found work through this New Deal initiative. "Coal Elevator" reflects the FAP's mission to document American life and industry. The subject matter is not idealized. Instead, it presents a raw, unromanticized view of the infrastructure that powered the nation. To fully understand the significance of this print, we can consult archives and historical records, learning more about the FAP and the role of art in shaping public perceptions of labor.

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