Miner’s Wives (1944) by Ben Shahn

Miner's Wives - Ben Shahn - 1944

Artwork Information

TitleMiner's Wives
ArtistBen Shahn
Date1944
Mediumtempera,cardboard
Art MovementExpressionism,Social Realism
Current LocationPhiladelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA, US

About Miner's Wives

The artwork titled “Miner’s Wives” by Ben Shahn, created in 1944, is a painting executed with tempera on cardboard. It belongs to the Expressionism and Social Realism movements and is classified as a genre and symbolic painting. This poignant work is currently housed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, PA, USA.

The artwork depicts the somber lives of miners’ wives, rendered against a vivid red brick background. The central figure, a woman with a gaunt face and downcast expression, is draped in a patterned shawl. Her hands are clasped together, exuding a sense of resignation or contemplation. In the background, another woman sits with a child in her lap, both figures accentuating the themes of struggle and endurance. The composition includes a coat hanging on a line and a poster or painting on the wall, featuring industrial buildings and the silhouettes of two men, possibly miners. The overall mood of the artwork is one of somber reflection, emphasizing the harsh realities and emotional toll of the miners’ plight.

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