Breadwinner (War)

Description

The drawing Breadwinner depicts an African American worker relaxing on a park bench during his break. The man wears a hat typical of a factory laborer. In spite of his ordinary appearance, the man’s posture is strong and relaxed, and he wears a sport coat over his work clothes—a symbol of pride for men during the Depression. On his lap is a newspaper with the discernable headline “WAR.” John Wilson made this drawing in 1942, probably soon after the United States declared war on the Axis powers.

Medium

Lithographic crayon, with scraping and smudging, on cream wove paper