Ben Shahn "Still Music" (1948)
This Artwork is:
NEW
Plate Signed
Lithographic Art Print
Custom Framed in a black  Frame
Matted in speckled gray
Plate Signed Art Print
Framed Size Approx. 18" x 28" 
Image Size: 13" x 23"
Comes Complete with Ready to hang hardware
Interested in different Framing? Contect us!
 
Ben Shahn's 1948 painting, Still Music, is a meditation on absence, rhythm and artistic influence.  
The painting's context and style
Influence of Paul Klee: Shahn was a great admirer of artist Paul Klee, and Still Music echoes Klee's automatist drawings with its "angular, brittle lines" and focus on the essence of the subject. This connection is not a simple imitation, but a reinterpretation, with Shahn saying that Klee "reaffirms an old heresy of my own—that form is merely the shape taken by content".
Juxtaposition of forms: The composition features a striking interplay of dynamic, rhythmic lines and flat, orderly shapes. This creates a sense of "latent energy" that communicates the "vibrations of music one senses during the intermission in a concert," as described by collector Duncan Phillips.
Lyrical graphics: The painting showcases Shahn's command of graphic elements. His rhythmic deployment of lines, shapes, and dots is reminiscent of musical notation, and the patchy, prismatic brushstrokes seem to echo the sounds of past performances. 
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Ben Shahn (1898–1969) 
Ben Shahn (1898–1969) was a prominent American artist known for his socially conscious artwork, deeply influenced by his experiences as a Jewish immigrant from Lithuania
Here's a brief overview of his life and work:
Early Life & Training: Born in Kaunas, Lithuania, in 1898, Shahn immigrated to the United States with his family in 1906. He initially trained as a lithographer and later studied art at institutions like the National Academy of Design in New York, also traveling to Europe and North Africa to deepen his artistic education.
Social Realism & Activism: Shahn became a leading figure in the Social Realism movement, utilizing his art to address social and political issues. His work often depicted the struggles of the marginalized and commented on political corruption and societal problems, notably seen in his influential 1932 series "The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti".
Government Work & War Propaganda: During the Great Depression, Shahn worked for various government agencies like the Farm Security Administration (FSA), producing photographs documenting rural poverty. He also created posters for the Office of War Information during World War II, although his anti-war sentiments emerged in later paintings.
Later Career & Legacy: In his later years, Shahn continued to create art that challenged societal norms and explored themes of humanism. He also became an influential educator, lecturing at institutions like Harvard University and publishing writings on art, including "The Shape of Content". His legacy is marked by his unwavering commitment to using art as a vehicle for social justice and his distinctive style blending realism with expressive qualities. 
<