Plate - University Building c. 1936

This plate was made by Helmut Hiatt, who was active in the 20th century, and it presents an allegorical scene of American nationhood. The plate’s imagery links the early Republic, represented by George Washington and the original thirteen states, with symbols of governance and prosperity. The image creates meaning through visual codes and cultural references, reflective of a specific time and place. We see here a neoclassical vision of the United States that elevates the iconography of the country into a kind of civic religion. Washington is shown side-by-side with a female allegorical figure representing Justice. Opposite them, another female figure, representing Independence, kneels in prayer. Between them, a neoclassical building, possibly representing a university, rises from a pastoral landscape replete with grazing sheep. Understanding this artwork better requires research into the social and political history of the United States in the 20th century. What visions of nationhood and patriotism were prevalent in the period when Hiatt made this plate? To what extent does this artwork reflect or challenge the social norms of its time? The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.