13 min.
Changing Times, Changing Art
The opening decades of the twentieth century were tumultuous, marked by technological advances, industrialization, social and political upheaval, mass migration and immigration, and World War I. In the United States, these changes contributed to the explosive growth of cities, which became vital economic centers and the loci of new forms of cultural expression and entertainment. Artists responded to this period in varying ways, pursuing uniquely “American” art or emulating the modernist movements occurring in Europe. Indeed, this era saw the development of a wide array of genres, including social realism and the Ashcan school, regionalism, expressionism, cubism, fauvism, post-impressionism, non-objective abstraction, and the beginnings of abstract expressionism. Realist art—art that portrays recognizable imagery based on real world observation—provides a particularly unique look at this time, offering insights into the social…
