Tobacco Farmers 1947

Robert Gwathmey’s image of tobacco farmers feels like a woodcut, but it’s actually a print on paper. The forms are simplified, almost abstracted, but powerfully communicative. I can imagine Gwathmey working on this, carefully carving out the shapes and patterns, figuring out how to represent the figures with these simple silhouettes. There’s a real focus on the geometry of labor, the angled backs and bent arms. That front figure in the blue overalls, his stance just so – it’s like a study in angles. Look at how the lines of the clothing define the forms, suggesting the weight and strain of the work. The greens of the plants offer a vibrant jolt against the more muted earth tones, really making the scene pop. It reminds me a little of Jacob Lawrence’s migration series, in its commitment to documenting the Black experience, but also in its formal directness. Artists are always responding to each other, borrowing, tweaking, and pushing forward. And in that sense, this piece keeps the conversation going.