Bridges in Winter

Nicola Victor Ziroli, Bridges in Winter, 1934, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Department of Labor, 1964.1.88
Copied Nicola Victor Ziroli, Bridges in Winter, 1934, oil on canvas, 24 1⁄8 x 30 in. (61.2 x 76.3 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Department of Labor, 1964.1.88

Artwork Details

Title
Bridges in Winter
Artist
Date
1934
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
24 1⁄8 x 30 in. (61.2 x 76.3 cm.)
Credit Line
Transfer from the U.S. Department of Labor
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Cityscape — season — winter
  • Architecture — bridge
  • Figure group
  • Cityscape — Illinois — Chicago
  • New Deal — Public Works of Art Project — Illinois
  • Architecture — vehicle — streetcar
  • Cityscape — river — Chicago River
Object Number
1964.1.88
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1964.1.88

Artwork Description

Bridges in Winter is an example of the urban scenes that were popular with artists working for New Deal art programs in the 1930s. The snow-covered bridge in the painting is similar to the series of bridges (including the Clark Street Bridge) that span the Chicago River, providing an essential link between the two halves of the city. The bridges can be raised easily to allow river traffic to pass through when needed. Chicago's bridges may have served as inspiration for the artist, as he spent a great deal of time there. In the foreground a crowd of people gather at one end of the bridge, with more people behind them in the distance. A newspaper boy waves his arm in the air as he hawks his newspapers. The stormy sky could be the customary chill gray of a Chicago winter, or it could allude to the troublesome times Americans faced during the Great Depression.