Ben Shahn

Happy Birthday Ben Shahn!! Lithuanian born American Ben Shahn was born in 1898. His family immigrated to the US when he was small. He trained as a graphic designer in lithography, but turned to social commentary painting, using egg tempera. Shahn traveled to Europe, studying the art of masters such as Matisse, Rouault, Klee and Picasso. Diego Rivera was also a powerful influence on Shahn. His work dealt with social issues including labor struggles and immigration. In the famous Jersey Homesteads Mural (part of which is pictured below) we see immigrants entering Ellis Island as garment workers are hard at work on the right, perhaps a foreshadowing of their future to come. Albert Einstein, who came to America in 1933, is clearly recognizable in the center