About this artwork
Land of Cotton is one of several works by Robert Gwathmey that illustrates the social conditions of tenant farmers and sharecroppers in the rural South. Although Gwathmey described himself as an “observer,” his images are not detached or dispassionate depictions of his subjects. This empathetic portrayal of cotton-field workers demonstrates Gwathmey’s close relationship with the people of rural Charlotte, North Carolina, and his desire to draw attention to their harsh way of life.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Prints and Drawings
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Artist
- Robert Gwathmey
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Title
- Land of Cotton
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Place
- United States (Artist's nationality:)
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Date
- 1939–1945
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Medium
- Watercolor and gouache, with pen and black ink, and touches of scraping, over traces of graphite on ivory wood pulp laminate board (illustration board)
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Dimensions
- 55.7 × 76.2 cm (21 15/16 × 30 in.)
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Credit Line
- Mary and Earle Ludgin Collection
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Reference Number
- 1981.1178