John Wilson
American, born 1922
Breadwinner (War)
INV-1829
John Wilson
American, born 19221942
Breadwinner (War)
John Wilson American, born 1922 →lithographic crayonprints and drawing
Date
1942
Medium
Lithographic crayon, with scraping and smudging, on cream wove paper
Dimensions
64 × 48.3 cm (25 1/4 × 19 1/16 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Purchased with funds provided by Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Hartman
The drawing Breadwinner depicts an African American worker relaxing on a park bench during his break. The man wears a hat typical of a factory laborer. In spite of his ordinary appearance, the man’s posture is strong and relaxed, and he wears a sport coat over his work clothes—a symbol of pride for men during the Depression. On his lap is a newspaper with the discernable headline “WAR.” John Wilson made this drawing in 1942, probably soon after the United States declared war on the Axis powers.
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