Agriculture 1939

Helen West Heller created this relief print titled ‘Agriculture’ in 1939. Heller was drawn to social realism, and she made prints, paintings, and poems that reflect her interest in the working class. 'Agriculture' embodies the ethos of the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression. Heller depicts farm laborers, the unsung heroes of the American economy, tending to the crops with their hands. This imagery is contrasted by brick makers working, possibly alluding to the construction of a new society emerging from the economic devastation. The print’s stark black and white palette underscores the gravity of the economic and social issues it addresses. Heller eschews romanticism, presenting an unvarnished view of the labor required to sustain a nation. 'Agriculture' resonates with the urgent need for economic reform and social justice during this period in American history. Her artwork serves as a reminder of the human effort that lies at the heart of our society’s foundations.