three standing men with factory in back on R

%C2%A9 Romare Bearden Foundation %2F Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society %28ARS%29%2C NY

Factory Workers, 1942

Not on Viewexpand_more

Romare Bearden produced Factory Workers as the frontispiece for the June 1942 Fortune magazine article “The Negro’s War,” which examined the social and financial costs of racial discrimination during wartime and advocated for full integration of the American workplace. The drawing is a somber, dignified portrayal of African Americans who have been denied work at a steel mill because of their skin color.

Although representational in style, this work confirms Bearden’s rejection of academic naturalism while signaling his growing admiration for such Mexican mural painters as Diego Rivera. The flattened perspective, lack of detail, and broad expanses of color give it a monumental quality. In the mid-1940s, Bearden’s works became increasingly abstract, and he later began experimenting with the technique of collage, which provided a new means of activating the expressive potential of surface and texture.

Details
Title
Factory Workers
Artist Life
1911–1988
Role
Artist
Accession Number
92.24
Provenance
The artist, New York (until at least 1955); his wife, Nanette Rohan Bearden, New York (by 1971/72); (ACA Galleries, New York, until 1992; sold to MIA).
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know

three standing men with factory in back on R

© Romare Bearden Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

Because of © restrictions, we can only show you a small image of this artwork.