About This Artwork

John Wilson
American, born 1922

Breadwinner (War), 1942

Lithographic crayon, with scraping and smudging, on cream wove paper
640 x 483 mm
Restricted gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Hartman, 2004.512

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.