WPA

Clarence Lawson

ca. 1938 · Lithograph, with graphite additions · Modern and Contemporary Art

A sculptor and painter, Lawson studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and was the first African American to win their prestigious James Nelson Raymond travel fellowship, which he used to visit countries in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East in 1938–39. The title of this lithograph may refer to the federal arts projects run under the Works Progress Administration, or to projects that employed individuals in construction and other fields during the Depression. Lawson’s worker, equipped with a sickle and shovel, appears as a symbol of the strength of American labor, and is rooted in diverse stylistic sources in African and ancient art.

Artist

Clarence Lawson

Date

ca. 1938

Medium

Lithograph, with graphite additions

Department

Modern and Contemporary Art

Credit line

Gift of Reba and Dave Williams, 1999