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Ben Shahn, 1898-1969
Ben Shahn, a painter, photographer, and graphic artist, infused his works with a passion that made them both works of art and political statements. In 1932 he created a famous series on the Italian-American anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti, whose trial was widely criticized for its denial of due process. Shahn, a staunch New Dealer, painted murals and did other commissions for the government arts and public works programs. In this photograph by Ronny Jaques, Shahn, a strong supporter of labor, is shown with his poster, commissioned by the Congress of Industrial Organizations, urging workers to register to vote. Shahn's later work became more abstract and allegorical, although still politically charged, and in his last years he turned to religious themes, creating illustrated versions of books from scripture and the Torah.
Ronny Jaques, c 1945 |