The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti (1931-32) by Ben Shahn

The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti - Ben Shahn - 1931 - 1932

Artwork Information

TitleThe Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti
ArtistBen Shahn
Date1931 - 1932
Mediumtempera,Canvas
Dimensions84 1/2 x 48 in
Art MovementExpressionism
Current LocationWhitney Museum of American Art, New York

About The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti

The artwork “The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti” by artist Ben Shahn, created during 1931-1932, is a significant piece of Expressionist art crafted using tempera on canvas. The painting’s dimensions are substantial, measuring approximately 84 1/2 x 48 inches. As a symbolic and historical painting, it resides in the collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. The artwork delves into the socio-political atmosphere of its time, referencing the controversial trial and execution of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, Italian-American anarchists convicted of murder under dubious circumstances.

The artwork presents a somber and symbolic representation of injustice. Three figures stand in the foreground, with stern and somber expressions, against a backdrop of a classical building that suggests an institutional setting. The central figure dons academic or clerical robes, signifying authority or perhaps the legal or educational system. Flanking this figure are two men dressed in dark suits with bowler hats, their faces etched with grave expressions that might allude to the mourning of justice itself.

In the lower portion of the artwork lie two coffins, each containing a likeness of the deceased—presumably Sacco and Vanzetti. A single white lily, a symbol of purity and innocence, rests in a pot next to one coffin, while one of the standing figures holds another lily, conveying themes of remembrance and possibly martyrdom.

The stark use of contrast, bold outlines, and the intense gazes of the figures evoke a strong emotional response, fitting for the Expressionist movement’s focus on representing emotions and ideas. The building and statue in the background add a classical touch, juxtaposing the timelessness of law and justice with the contemporary issue the painting addresses.

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