The Fifth Year

John R. Grabach, The Fifth Year, 1934, oil on wood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1979.119.1
John R. Grabach, The Fifth Year, 1934, oil on wood, 42 1⁄4 x 48 in. (107.4 x 121.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist, 1979.119.1

Artwork Details

Title
The Fifth Year
Artist
Date
1934
Location
Dimensions
42 1⁄4 x 48 in. (107.4 x 121.9 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the artist
Mediums Description
oil on wood
Classifications
Subjects
  • State of being — mood — weariness
  • History — United States — Depression Era
  • Architecture Exterior — commercial — skyscraper
  • Figure group
  • Cityscape — New York — New York
  • Landscape — weather — snow
Object Number
1979.119.1
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1979.119.1

Artwork Description

John R. Grabach painted this image five years after the great stock market crash of 1929. It shows an endless stream of people rising up out of New York and trudging across the sky. The man in front gazes out at the viewer from under his hat, while his partner weeps on his shoulder. Paintings such as this, emphasizing the desolate conditions experienced by many Americans, reflect the rise of Socialist and Communist activism during the 1930s. These figures represent the working masses, their gray faces and threadbare clothes highlighting the hardships of the Depression. Their journey through the sky symbolizes their long trek toward a better future.

Works by this artist (8 items)

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Julian Stanczak, Conducive to Yellow, 1967, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. David K. Anderson, Martha Jackson Memorial Collection, 1980.137.97
Conducive to Yellow
Artist
Date1967
acrylic on canvas
Not on view
Julian Stanczak, Suspended in Grays, 1975, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. David K. Anderson, Martha Jackson Memorial Collection, 1980.137.101
Suspended in Grays
Artist
Date1975
acrylic on canvas
Not on view
Julian Stanczak, Majestic (Red and Blue), 1978, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. David K. Anderson, Martha Jackson Memorial Collection, 1980.137.102B
Majestic (Red and Blue)
Artist
Date1978
acrylic on canvas
Not on view
Julian Stanczak, Four Cools, 1969, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. David K. Anderson, Martha Jackson Memorial Collection, 1980.137.98
Four Cools
Artist
Date1969
acrylic on canvas
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

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Robert Roberg, Babylon, the Great, is Fallen, 1992, acrylic, oil, tempera and glitter on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.28, © ca. 1990, Robert Roberg
Babylon, the Great, is Fallen
Artist
Date1992
acrylic, oil, tempera and glitter on canvas
Not on view
Roger Medearis, Judith, 1968, acrylic and egg tempera on Masonite, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. Philip Desind, 1986.90.3
Judith
Artist
Date1968
acrylic and egg tempera on Masonite
On view
Sister Gertrude Morgan, Let's Make a Record, 1971, tempera, acrylic, pencil, and ink on paperboard (album cover) vinyl (record), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak, 1981.136.5A-B
Let’s Make a Record
Artist
Date1971
tempera, acrylic, pencil, and ink on paperboard (album cover) vinyl (record)
Not on view
Sister Gertrude Morgan, Come in my Room, come on in the Prayer Room, ca. 1970, tempera, acrylic, ballpoint pen, and pencil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr., and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.186
Come in my Room, come on in the Prayer Room
Artist
Dateca. 1970
tempera, acrylic, ballpoint pen, and pencil on paperboard
Not on view