Radio Broadcast

Julia Eckel, Radio Broadcast, 1933-1934, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Department of Labor, 1964.1.66
Copied Julia Eckel, Radio Broadcast, 1933-1934, oil on canvas, 40 1⁄8 x 55 5⁄8 in. (102.0 x 141.2 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the U.S. Department of Labor, 1964.1.66

Artwork Details

Title
Radio Broadcast
Artist
Date
1933-1934
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
40 1⁄8 x 55 5⁄8 in. (102.0 x 141.2 cm.)
Credit Line
Transfer from the U.S. Department of Labor
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Subjects
  • Occupation — communication arts — broadcaster
  • Figure group
  • Performing arts — music — voice
  • Performing arts — music — trombone
  • Performing arts — music — saxophone
  • Object — other — microphone
  • New Deal — Public Works of Art Project — Washington, D.C.
Object Number
1964.1.66
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1964.1.66

Artwork Description

Gathering around microphones as in Julia Eckel's painting, actors and musicians of the 1930s created drama, comedy, and musical performances enjoyed by radio audiences across the country. During the Great Depression Will Rogers's humor, Bing Crosby's crooning, Graham McNamee's news coverage, and series like "Fibber McGee and Molly," were part of the American scene. President Franklin Roosevelt explained his decisions to the nation through his famous radio broadcast "fireside chats."

Artist Julia Eckel used tightly spaced figures and controlled gestures to illustrate the close cooperation among star actors, secondary players, and musicians performing live on the air. The painting shows musicians playing during an interlude in the action as the leading lady, dressed in red and green, stands poised to speak her next line. Viewers of the painting, like radio listeners, feel the tension as they wait for the action to resume. Eckel kept her visual drama taut by leaving out such distracting practical details as the scripts and sheet music, which are prominent in publicity photographs of radio performances.

1934: A New Deal for Artists exhibition label

Related Books

1934_500.jpg
1934: A New Deal for Artists
During the Great Depression, president Franklin Delano Roosevelt promised a “new deal for the American people,” initiating government programs to foster economic recovery. Roosevelt’s pledge to help “the forgotten man” also embraced America’s artists. The Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) enlisted artists to capture “the American Scene” in works of art that would embellish public buildings across the country. Although it lasted less than one year, from December 1933 to June 1934, the PWAP provided employment for thousands of artists, giving them an important role in the country’s recovery. Their legacy, captured in more than fifteen thousand artworks, helped “the American Scene” become America seen.