The Artists of the WPA: Auction Highlights February 2021
Paintings, Prints, Photographs, Posters, Books & Related Ephemera by Artists Whose Careers Were Sustained by the WPA
At Auction February 4, 2021
We’re pleased to present this curated auction of WPA-era artwork, photographs, and related material. In the aftermath of the Great Depression, president Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal and its related agencies represented an unprecedented investment in art and artists, setting the scene for the twentieth century’s art movements, and establishing the careers of diverse creatives, including women, Black artists, photographers, and muralists.
Prints
Further Reading: Etched in History: Printmakers of the Federal Art Project
Paintings
Mural Studies
Vintage Posters
Further Reading: Favorite WPA Posters from a Vintage Posters Specialist
Works on Paper
Photographs
Related Reading:
The Social Document: Dorothea Lange’s ‘Migrant Mother’
Beyond Migrant Mother: Five FSA Photographers to Know
What You Need to Know on Auction Day
This auction will be held live and conducted remotely.
There will not be bidding in the room, though we accept order bids, and interested buyers will be able to participate live via the Swann Galleries App. The app is available in the App Store and on Google Play, which can also be accessed on a desktop at live.swanngalleries.com.
Please note: phone bidding registrations will close the day before the sale at 4pm.
At this time, our exhibition and auction location at 104 East 25th Street is closed to the public. Private viewings are available by appointment only, and must be arranged in advance. To make an appointment please contact the specialist.
Sign up for Auction Updates to get email notifications about new catalogues, or download our Live Bidding App and enable push alerts.