When Art Worked

by Larkin, David

• ISBN13: 9780847830893
• ISBN10: 0847830896
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-11-03
• Publisher: Rizzoli Intl Pubns

Summary

With an astoundingly high unemployment rate in the country during the Depression--at 25 percent--New Deal policies provided work for nearly eight million people, who went to work building and landscaping parkways, erecting bridges, improving and expanding state and national parks, and creating an astonishing amount of art: 95,000 murals, mosaics, sculptures, paintings, and prints for over 11,000 public buildings. The art created illuminated common necessities, arousing an awareness of the suffering of people. This had an indelible impact on public policy. Everyday Americans--artists, architects, craftspeople, carpenters, masons-- restored and reshaped the country thanks to their unparalleled skill, creativity, and hard work. Their projects transformed the public landscape, architecture, and culture of the period. Evidence of these projects abounds throughout the country, a testament to the outstanding quality and timelessness of the works created.

Author Biography

Roger G. Kennedy is a former director of the National Park Service and director emeritus of the National Museum of American History. He has written numerous books and articles on the history and architecture of the United States.

David Larkin is an editor, designer, and authority on vernacular styles. His previous Rizzoli books include American Masterworks, Farmhouse, Barn, and American Home.