Ben Shahn Mid 20th Century Lithograph
Item Details
Ben Shahn (American/Lithuanian; 1898 – 1969)
Untitled, mid 20th century
Lithograph on paper
Signed “Ben Shahn” to the lower left
Mounted on foam backing
A mid 20th century lithograph on paper by listed artist Ben Shahn (American, 1898 – 1969). The work depicts a partially abstracted genre scene comprised of a male figure pulling a wooden-wheeled cart that carries a female seated on a pile of hay. The piece is signed ‘Ben Shahn’ to the lower left. The composition is mounted on foam backing.
Ben Shahn was primarily known for his murals and social-realist paintings. He was born in Kaunus, Lithuania and at an early age emigrated to the United States. As a teenager, he got immersed into lithography as an apprentice and later on, acquired his formal artistic training at New York University. Shahn further pursued his artistic career and continued his education at the National Academy of Design, New York. His work was strongly influenced by renowned Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, who requested his assistance on the iconic murals for the RCA Building at the Rockefeller Center, New York. His oeuvre can be found in various public and private institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art and many others.
Condition
- wear and toning throughout the edges of paper; toning especially along the edges of printed image; vertical crease along the center of composition; minor stains and discoloration throughout composition.
Dimensions
- measures the sheet; printed image measures 21" W x 13" H.
Item #
18DCC770-010