Changing City, 1934 1934

Benton Spruance made this lithograph called Changing City in 1934. The scene depicts a city undergoing transformation, a theme that resonated deeply during the Great Depression in the United States. Spruance uses a stark, almost geometric style to portray the urban landscape. Note the contrast between the older, more ornate buildings and the emerging modern structures. Consider the elevated view which might suggest the planning and design of a city as a whole. This reflects the rise of urban planning and its power to re-shape existing cities. The presence of the airship hints at technological progress, but also perhaps the shadow of military expansion. Art historians often turn to urban planning documents, architectural journals, and social surveys to understand the context in which artists like Spruance operated. Art, after all, is never created in a vacuum, and its meanings are always tied to the social and institutional forces of its time.