Emanuel DeColas created this poster for the play written by Virgil Geddes. Thousands of artists were hired to create art for a wide range of subjects such as schools, public health, culture, the theatre and many other areas.

George Biddle, the founder of the Federal Art Project (FAP) in 1935, said that because of the FAP, the Depression exerted, "a more invigorating effect on American art than any past event in the country's history." While times were hard, the mood of the posters was typically upbeat and the designs were bold and original and many of the artists felt free to experiment with a wide range of concepts. For American art, it was a vital period that invigorated the entire country's perception of what art could be and brought American art into the international forefront.

In addition to posters, the FAP created thousands of murals in public buildings all across the country. Artist such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, and Louise Nevelson, all left a moment of their creativity to posterity because of this program. As art historian Francis O'Connor said, "Something very vital indeed, something revolutionary happened to American culture during the 1930's."

One of the FAP's major activities was the index of American Design. The project helped popularizing American folk art by documenting the countries "usable past" of over 20,000 photographic records of American art, painting, sculpture, handicraft and folk art.

By 1943, unemployment --the primary reason for the programs creation --dipped to the point that the program was canceled.

The Library of Congress is the largest single holder of WPA posters, having over 900 in its collection.

Created/Published : Chicago : Illinois WPA Art Project, between 1936 and 1939

Creator : Emanuel DeColas, artist

Housed in the Works Progress Administration Collection in the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress

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Product #: cph3f05370