Untitled (Accordian Player) c. 1937 - 1938

Harry Hering created this untitled print of an accordion player sometime in the mid-20th century. Hering’s work often featured ordinary people engaged in everyday activities. Here, the musician’s intense focus speaks to the working-class tradition of making one’s own entertainment. The accordion, with its roots in 19th-century Europe, had by this time become a symbol of folk music and immigrant communities in America. But Hering flattens any romanticism or sense of cultural exoticism. The figure is desaturated and the scene is stark, depicting a pragmatic, unglamorous moment of artistic production. Understanding the historical context helps us appreciate how Hering’s work, while seemingly simple, engages with broader themes of identity, labor, and cultural expression in 20th-century America. Researching the artist’s biography, the social history of music, and the reception of similar images at the time will help to better understand it.