Promenade c. 1935

Frank Besedick created this print titled "Promenade" in the mid-20th century using black ink on paper. The image presents a gritty urban scene, likely somewhere in the United States. We can see an elevated train track looming over a street with figures walking along the sidewalk. The artist uses stark contrasts and heavy shading, reminiscent of social realism, to convey the harshness and anonymity of city life. Prints like this one were often commissioned by the WPA’s Federal Art Project which gave work to artists struggling through the depression. The Federal Art Project was one of the first U.S. Government programs to support the arts. To fully understand the context of this work, one might delve into the history of urban development, the impact of industrialization on American cities, and the role of art institutions in shaping public perceptions of urban life.