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Edward Laning, The Good Companions, 1960, oil on fiberboard, 12 x 9 in. (30.5 x 22.8 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1986.6.52
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Artwork Details
- Title
- The Good Companions
- Artist
- Date
- 1960
- Location
- Dimensions
- 12 x 9 in. (30.5 x 22.8 cm.)
- Credit Line
- Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- oil on fiberboard
- Classifications
- Subjects
- State of being — other — intoxicated
- State of being — emotion — friendship
- Figure group — male
- Object Number
- 1986.6.52
Artwork Description
Edward Laning was raised by his grandfathers, both of whom were involved in populist politics. His career developed in New York during the height of the Great Depression, when he painted images of workers living in his Union Square neighborhood. Laning’s respect for the common man lasted throughout his career, as we see in The Good Companions, painted nearly thirty years after the Depression. The three drunks are little help to one another, but their solidarity echoes Laning’s regard for working Americans.