Ben Shahn
1898–1969 · American · 25 artworks
Social RealismExpressionismFigurative distortion for emotional impactUse of text and lettering within compositionsFlat, simplified formsStrong, expressive linesNarrative storytelling through imagery
artist bio
Ben Shahn was a Lithuanian-born American artist known for his Social Realist paintings, murals, and graphic arts. He used his art to address social and political issues, often focusing on themes of injustice and the struggles of working-class people.
what you'll learn
Studying Ben Shahn's work allows students to explore the power of art as a form of social commentary and to understand how visual elements can convey powerful messages about social justice and human rights. Students can also learn about integrating text and image in art.
related: Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, Kathe Kollwitz
25 artworks
Second Allegory
1953
difficulty
Handball
1939
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Miner's Wives
1944
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Maimonides
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Three Men
difficulty
The Four Prosecutors - Sacco-Vanzetti Case
1932
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Vanity
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Four Piece Orchestra
difficulty
New York
1947
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Portrait of myself as a young boy
1943
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Spring
1946
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Father and Son
1946
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Étude pour la peinture murale du Jersey Homestead
1936
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The Harpie
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Liberation
1945
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French Workers
1942
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Italian Landscape
1944
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The Red Stairway
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Helix and Crystal
1957
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Years of Dust', US government poster
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Self-Portrait Among Church Goers
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Seward Park
1936
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Composition for Clarinets and Tin Horn
1951
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Sacco and Vanzetti
1932
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Italian Landscape II: Europa
1944
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