Painted Sign on Fence, Cedar Point, Ohio c. 1930s

Walker Evans captured this gelatin silver print of a painted sign on a fence in Cedar Point, Ohio. It is a photograph of a painted hand with its index finger extended. The image raises questions about the relationship between commercial imagery, folk art, and the burgeoning field of photography in the early to mid-20th century. During the 1930s and 40s, there was a growing trend in America toward outdoor advertising and roadside attractions, particularly along major highways and tourist destinations. Cedar Point, as an amusement park, was a prime location for such visual markers. Evans’ choice to photograph this painted hand—a form of vernacular design—highlights the pervasive nature of advertising in everyday life. To better understand Evans’ work, you might explore archives of commercial art from this era, sociological studies of American leisure and consumer culture, and histories of photography as it intersected with both art and documentation. Only through contextual investigation can we start to appreciate the complex social meanings embedded in what might first appear to be a simple photograph.