Village Green

John Pike, Village Green, 1945, oil on fiberboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Henry Ward Ranger through the National Academy of Design, 1989.86
Copied John Pike, Village Green, 1945, oil on fiberboard, 24 1⁄8 x 30 1⁄8 in. (61.4 x 76.6 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Henry Ward Ranger through the National Academy of Design, 1989.86

Artwork Details

Title
Village Green
Artist
Date
1945
Location
Dimensions
24 1⁄8 x 30 1⁄8 in. (61.4 x 76.6 cm.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Henry Ward Ranger through the National Academy of Design
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on fiberboard
Classifications
Subjects
  • Architecture — vehicle — carriage
  • Landscape — town
  • Landscape — bird’s eye view
  • Animal — horse
  • Architecture — vehicle — automobile
Object Number
1989.86
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1989.86

Artwork Description

Village Green shows a congested square where cars, bicycles, and horse-drawn carriages compete for space on the narrow roads. The image suggests the effects of war on the home front: a soldier in the foreground greets an elderly neighbor, a group of children play “war” in the square, a sign advertises a Red Cross blood drive, and an honor roll lists the names of local boys serving overseas. John Pike painted this image in 1945, when World War II was ending and he was posted to Asia as an artist-correspondent. The thin layers of paint, scumbled colors, and bird’s-eye view create a hazy, sentimental image that evokes a distant memory, as if recalled by someone far from home.