Untitled c. 1930s

Caroline Whiting Fellows made this photograph, sometime in the mid-20th century. It depicts a still life of fresh vegetables and fruit, some spilling out of a brown paper bag. This kind of image participates in a long and venerable tradition in Western art. We can trace it back to 17th-century Dutch painting. However, unlike those images, we don't have the symbolic display of wealth and abundance that was typical of that era. Rather, this work appears homespun and modest. During the mid-20th century, a back-to-the-land movement saw many people embracing small-scale farming. This photograph reflects this cultural shift, suggesting values of simplicity, health, and connection to nature. It's a deliberate aesthetic choice, and can be seen as a critique of post-war consumerism. To understand it better, you might research the history of photography as a fine art, along with the history of the American food system and how people have tried to resist it. That kind of research reminds us that art is always connected to social and institutional contexts.