Hugo Gellert - Allegory of Peace and Victory

Original Silkscreen (Trial Proof Impression with Graphite Additions) by the Hungarian / American artist, Hugo Gellert.

Allegory of Peace and Victory

View other original works of art by Hugo Gellert.

Hugo Gellert (Budapest, Hungary, 1892 - Freehold, New Jersey, 1985)
#	Image	Title & Artist	Medium	Date	Notes	-
01-		Allegory of Peace and Victory by Hugo Gellert	Original Silkscreen	c. 1940 - 1950	(Trial Proof Impression with Graphite Additions)	Sold
02.-		Primary Accumulation by Hugo Gellert	Original Lithograph	1934 (Second Edition)	Published by Ray Long and Richard Smith, New York

View Our Selection of Original American Art of the Depression Era (c. 1930 - c. 1945)

American Art of the Depression Era (c. 1930 - c. 1945)
The American Art of the Depression Era directory contains a listing of original works of art from the Depression decade of the 1930’s and into the early 1940’s created by American artists. These pages also include information about the art publishers, associations, clubs, groups and societies located in major cities throughout the United States, such as Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Buffalo, Wichita, Philadelphia, Rochester, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and elsewhere. Many of these organizations provided an opportunity for American artists to work and create original works of art during the Great Depression. A few of the art associations and clubs active during this period that are discussed in this directory include the American Artists Group, the Associated American Artists, New York, the Buffalo Print Club, the Chicago Society of Etchers, the Lone Star Printmakers, the Prairie Print Makers, the Print Club of Cleveland, the Print Club of Philadelphia, the Print Club of Rochester, the Society of American Etchers, the Indiana Society of Printmakers, the Society of Washington D.C. Artists and the Syracuse Print Club.
01.-	American Art of the Depression Era - Page 1 (Artist Index (A to E)	American Art of the Depression Era dating from 1930 to 1945 (Art of The Print / www.artoftheprint.com - Artist Index: A to E): The following four pages contain a listing of original American etchings, lithographs woodcuts, serigraphs, watercolors, drawings, linocuts and wood engravings from the Depression decade of the 1930’s and into the early 1940’s. Despite the dire economic times publishers of original prints continued to survive and successfully raise revenue for the artists as well as making original art affordable during the Great Depression years. Listed on the first page of the 'American Art of the Depression Era' directory are over fifty original works of art created by American artists such as, George Elbert Burr, his etchings, Little Canyon, Arizona and Morraine Park were both commissioned by The Print Connoisseur, while his Evening, Arizona was published by The Brooklyn Society of Etchers. Also, works such as, Kenneth Ballantyne's original linocut, Wood Nymphs appeared in The Colophon in New York in 1931. George Elmer Browne’s The Fishing Fleet and Adolf Dehn’s Threshing Near Kilkenny published by the Associated American Artists (A.A.A.), are other outstanding examples of early prints from this decade.
02.-	American Art of the Depression Era - Page 2 (Artist Index (F to J)	American Art of the Depression Era dating from 1930 to 1945 (Art of The Print / www.artoftheprint.com - Artist Index: F to J): The second page of this directory also contains a list of over fifty original works of art created during the Great Depression years by American artists. One of the more interesting aspects of art of the Depression is how seldom the actual misery and privation of the decade is depicted. On this page, for example, only Hugo Gellert’s original lithograph, Primary Accumulation, protests the contemporary state of affairs. The visual arts (including films) set out to divert and entertain. Perhaps for artists an almost sure recipe for failure would have been to remind the average man of his sorry condition. On the contrary most areas of the entertainment industries thrived. The art of Kenneth Hartwell is an excellent example. His lithographs of circus acrobats, jugglers and clowns and of the music, dancing and comedy of the Burlesque shows are worlds into themselves. Gazing at his imagery the viewer is granted a temporary reprieve from the real world.
03.-	American Art of the Depression Era - Page 3 (Artist Index (K to P)	American Art of the Depression Era dating from 1930 to 1945 (Art of The Print / www.artoftheprint.com - Artist Index: K to P): Even in a Depression the sense of a continuation of normal activities persists. In Joseph Margulies, New England Granny the subject does exactly what grannies do best as she contentedly sits in her rocker, sewing. Philip Parsons depicts a joyful family reunion in Home for Christmas and Henry Pitz depicts the dignity of work in his monumental art deco style in both Maine Fisherman and Man Against the Sky. Purely by alphabetical accident, page 3 also contains two of my favorite night scenes: Alan Lewis’ delightful color woodcut, Swinging the Gate and Martin Lewis’ renowned Night in New York. This famous etching was published by the Chicago Society of Etchers in 1932.
04.-	American Art of the Depression Era - Page 4 (Artist Index (R to Z)	American Art of the Depression Era dating from 1930 to 1945 (Art of The Print / www.artoftheprint.com - Artist Index: R to Z): Like the previous three pages, page four of this directory provides a full variety of Depression era themes and techniques. Stark realities of the times are provided by W. P. Robinson (Abandoned Farm) and Isadore Weiner (Gardening). In contrast are pieces like John W. Winkler’s playful landscape, Rae Lakes, California and the fine animal studies by Clarence Zuelch. Two magnificent drypoints by Albert Sterner -- Meditation and The Promised Land – will also be found listed on that page. In particular, The Promised Land seems like a potent symbol of man’s journey through the decade of the Great Depression. In total, there are over two hundred works of original art created by American artists from the Depression decade of the 1930’s and into the early 1940’s listed in the 'American Art of the Depression' directory.

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Title:	Primary Accumulation
Artist:	Gellert, Hugo (Budapest, Hungary, 1892 - Freehold, New Jersey, 1985)
Date:	c. 1940 - 1950
Medium:	Original Silkscreen (Trial Proof Impression with Graphite Additions)
Note:	Hugo Gellert: It might be argued that the tumultuous life of Hugo Gellert is yet another testimony to 20th century America's irrational fear of Communism and other forms of political discontent. But whether or not one sympathizes with Gellert's political and social convictions, the honesty and bravery of both his art and his life must be admired. The strong and visually compelling construction of his imagery places Hugo Gellert among the greatest American social artists of the Art Deco era and beyond.
	Born in Hungary, Hugo Gellert emigrated to the United States with his family in 1906. From 1909 to 1914 he studied at both the Cooper Union and at the National Academy of Design, receiving three awards for his art. He intended to complete his studies at the Academie Julian, Paris, but the outbreak of World War One forced him to abandon this plan.
	In 1916 Hugo Gellert published his first anti-war art in the leftist periodical, The Masses. In 1917 this publication was suppressed by the government and Gellert's brother, a conscientious objector, was arrested by the United States Army. Five months later Ernest Gellert was shot and killed while confined in military prison. Hugo Gellert began work for a new magazine entitled, The Liberator (1918-1922). His first solo exhibition took place at the Keworkian Gallery in 1923.
	In 1925 Hugo Gellert became a staff artist for both The New Yorker Magazine and The New York Times. Through these publications millions of Americans became familiar with his politically charged drawings and cartoons. Gellert was appointed head of the first anti-fascist organization in America in 1927. He organized a demonstration in this capacity during this year and both he and his wife were arrested while picketing outside the White House.
	Allegory of Peace and Victory: Apart from his activities as a staff artist, Hugo Gellert also created a number of important public murals and sets of original lithographs. In this latter category the most famous series are Karl Marx's 'Capital' in Lithographs (1933 & 1934), Comrade Gulliver (1935) and Aesop Said So (1936). The 1930's decade also marked the period when government and administrative interference ceased to threaten Gellert. In 1932 the Museum of Modern Art in New York petitioned to have the art of Hugo Gellert and two of his contemporaries (Ben Shann and William Gropper) removed from its collection. Other contemporary artists came to their defense and threatened to withdraw their work, forcing the Museum to back down. Three years later the art of Hugo Gellert was the subject of a large exhibition at New York's prestigious Whitney Museum.
	During the following years Gellert received many awards and continued his fight against social injustices. He was commissioned to paint the murals for the Communications Building at the New York World's Fair, 1938. He was a major force in applying pressure on the Mexican Government to release the great artist, Siqueiros, from prison (1960-1964). In 1974, Hugo Gellert was awarded the highest honour of the Republic of Hungary: The Order of the Banner. Finally, in 1982, Hugo Gellert made a fitting appearance as a 'witness' in Warren Beatty's classic film, Reds.
	As Allegory of Peace and Victory is a trial or working proof it bears no information as to its date or for what purpose it was made. Silkscreening as a medium for art began in the United States in the late 1930's. Early silkscreens are usually apparent by their modest use of colours and tonal values. This would clearly be the case here where Gellert almost exclusively uses two screens of red and black. Obviously Gellert used the red screen as his base and then applied his outline blacks -- note the inadvertent spots of black ink appearing on the baby's legs and stomach. He then completed the design in pencil by drawing the outside dimensions and lengthening the flame above the baby's left hand.
	From 1939 to 1941 Hugo Gellert was active in organizing the group, "Artists for Defense". Later he became Chairman for "Artists for Victory", which eventually included 10,000 members. These organizations were formed to resist the fascist powers of World War Two. I suspect this most compelling, early silkscreen was created for this effort. It is not known if it was published in an edition. It may constitute a unique impression.
	One should also note that the margins to the left of Allegory of Peace and Victory are extraordinarily large. (This margin has been folded behind the silkscreen). This was typical of Gellert's graphic work as most of his art contained explanatory text to the left.
Edition:	Trial Proof Impression with Graphite Additions
Size:	15 1/2 X 13 1/2 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Matted with 100% Archival Materials
Condition:	Printed upon thick, laid paper and with large, full margins, as described. Containing several slight crease marks and the aforementioned graphite additions and black ink spots, else in fine condition throughout. Allegory of Peace and Victory represents a scarce (perhaps unique) example of the famous graphic art of Hugo Gellert.
Price:	Sold - The price is no longer available.
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