The People Work - Noon
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View on museum website →Medium
lithograph in black
Classification
Portfolio
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.7987
Art Historical Context
**The People Work - Noon** is a striking 1937 lithograph by Murdoch Spruance, an printmaker celebrated for his sensitive portrayals of everyday life. Created during the Great Depression, this black-ink work captures the midday toil of ordinary workers, evoking the resilience and rhythm of American labor in an era of economic hardship.uance, based in Philadelphia, drew from realist traditions, blending empathy with keen observation to highlight the dignity of the working class—a common theme in 1930s art amid New Deal programs like the WPA that supported artists depicting national life. As a l...
About the Artist
Benton Murdoch Spruance
Benton Murdoch Spruance (1904–1967) was a Philadelphia native whose artistic journey began amid the city's architectural landscape. Born on June 25, 1904, he initially worked as a clerk in an architect's office while studying architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, where he taught himself graphic sketching. A scholarship brought him to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), foll...