Dependent
ca. 1935–43
Medium
Lithograph
Dimensions
Plate: 11 × 8 in. (27.9 × 20.3 cm) Sheet: 13 1/2 in. × 11 in. (34.3 × 27.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of the Work Projects Administration, Pennsylvania, 1943
Accession Number
43.46.73
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Dependent" is a poignant lithograph by Sol Carson, produced circa 1935–43 as part of the Works Progress (WPA) in Pennsylvania. Measuring 11 × 8 inches on the (sheet: 13½ × 11 inches), print belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of's Drawings and Prints department gifted by the WPA in 1943. Tagged with "Women," it reflects themes common in Depression-era art, likely exploring amid economic hardship. The WPA, a flagship New Deal program, employed over 8,000 artists to create public works, fostering social realism that depicted American life with unflinching honesty. Carson's piece emerged from this initiative, which democratized art through affordable printmaking. Lithography, the medium here, involves drawing on a stone or metal plate with greasy crayon, inking it selectively, and transferring the image to paper—ideal for producing multiples to reach wide audiences during tough times. This work exemplifies how federal support preserved artistic talent and cultural narratives, offering visitors a window into the resilience of women and families in the 1930s. A subtle yet powerful artifact of its era.
About the Artist
Sol Carson|WPA (American| ) · 1917 | –2017 |
American, born 1917|