The artwork, titled “Federal Projects,” was created by Saul Steinberg in 1981. Belonging to the Expressionism art movement, this piece falls under the genre of illustration.
“Federal Projects” depicts two distinct yet thematically connected scenes. In the top half, a monumental building stands against a backdrop of a lightly clouded sky. The structure’s classical architecture is highlighted by its orderly columns, and tiny human figures are dispersed in the foreground, emphasizing the building’s grandeur. Above the building, various seals and stamps lend an official aura to the composition. Between the two segments of the artwork, handwritten text and signatures add a layer of bureaucratic formality.
The lower half of the artwork showcases a cityscape of towering, geometric buildings, rendered in a similar style. Despite the simplicity of the forms, a sense of depth and perspective is achieved. The placement of small, human figures at the base of these buildings reiterates themes of human scale and institutional authority. The muted color palette, combined with the deliberate use of official symbols and text, evokes a contemplative mood, reflecting on the relationship between individuals and governmental or bureaucratic structures.
