Herschel Levit (1912-1986)
Take it Away
Born in Pennsylvania, Hershcel Levit had a short art career during the Great Depression before becoming a full time professor of art and architecture history at Pratt Institute. This interest in architecture is prevalent in his early artwork that focuses on many of the major construction projects being funded by the WPA. His images of laborers focus not only on the scale of the projects but in the importance of work as a means towards human dignity.
Samuel L. Margolies (1897-1978)
Builders of Babylon
Born in Brooklyn, NY, Samuel Margolies is best known for his work in the 1930’s featuring dramatic views of New York’s skyscrapers and the heroic workers who built them. Margolies studied art at the Cooper Union Art School and the National Academy of Design. He was a member of the Society of American Etchers, American Veterans Society of Artists, and the American Artists Congress. Margolies exhibited at the New York World's Fair in 1939 and his work is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Library of Congress as well as various embassies and federal buildings in Washington D. C.
These drawings are wonderful. One can see a return to some of the stylistic elements from the 30s in some of the cola's can redesign as well as in some brands wishing to cause the consumer to believe their product is older. About five years ago Disney incorporated some of the 1930s style art work into its animated film The Princess and the frog.
ReplyDeleteThe Herschel Levit is a lithograph 1940 also printed again in 1945
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