American Scenes: Wpa-Era Prints from the 1930s and 1940s

The American Scene was a vibrant artistic movement during the Wpa era, a period framed by the crash of the stock market in 1929 and the escalation of American involvement in World War Ii around 1943. To address the crisis of mass unemployment, the U.S. government instituted a series of public works programs which aimed to put Americans back to work. The exhibition catalogue presents an overview of American Scenes produced by Wpa-era graphic artists - the major issues facing American artists during this period, the hardships endured and the opportunities gained through creating artworks which were relevant to, and appreciated by, a new audience of average American people. Featuring 47 artworks from La Salle University Art Museum and the Wpa Collection of the Free Library of Philadelphia Print and Picture Department, this catalogue includes scholarly essays, label text and reproductions of all of the artworks included in the exhibition.