La Familia De Juanito Laguna 

Antonio Berni painted 'La Familia De Juanito Laguna' with oil paint in a style informed by his political engagement. Berni returned to his native Argentina in the 1930s after studying abroad. He was committed to social realism, an art movement that sought to depict the lives and struggles of ordinary people. Berni turned away from earlier European influences and toward the local subject matter he found in the urban slums of Buenos Aires. The painting portrays a family with dignity despite the obvious poverty. Berni's depiction of the working class reflects the broader social and political movements in Argentina during this time, including the rise of Peronism. The composition itself, reminiscent of traditional family portraits, elevates its subjects and suggests the importance of community. To fully understand this artwork, it helps to research Argentine history, the artistic debates of the time, and Berni's personal biography. The meaning of art is never fixed. It shifts depending on its social and institutional context.