William Gropper, Steel-driving John Henry, 1945
Lithograph in black ink on tan wove paper.
Plate 14 x 9, Sheet 16 x 12, Frame 16.5 x 22 inches
From the series American Folk Heroes, 1939 - 1946.
Publisher Covici/Friede, NY.
Reference:
Lara Susan Kuykendall, PhD: By Popular Demand: The Hero in American Art c.1929-1945, 2011:In 1945, William Gropper portrayed Henry as part of his series American Folk Heroes. Groppers Henry appears larger-than-life and exceeds the limits of canvas borders as he mightily raises his hammer overhead. While it is significant that Gropper included Henry in his pictorial anthology of legendary Americans (with Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, Finn MacCool, and others), Groppers allegiance to the factual basis of Henrys legend was, rather diluted. In Groppers 1945 image, the hero hammers railroad ties (not holes for explosives) and Big Bend Tunnel is nowhere to be found. In Groppers subsequent folklore map from 1946, Henry is situated in Alabama, three states away from his native West Virginia. For Gropper, like the other artists who depicted Henry before him, Henry was a fictional folkloric character, and the specificity of what he did and where he did it is less of a concern…
William Gropper (American, 1897 - 1977), WPA artist

Excellent state, fine image, no foxing or other stains. Frame with dings and scratches. Please refer to photos or request additional info. The absence or brevity of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of ageing. Condition reports are obtained via email or by phone. Any condition statement given as a courtesy to a client is only an opinion and not to be treated as a statement of fact. Zikorn AH shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.