Jacob Burck
American, born Poland, 1907 - 1982The Lord Provides, 1934
Not on view
Lithograph on paper
Dimensions15 3/4 × 11 3/8 in.
Gift of Mr. Jack B. Pierson in memory of Mr. Robert Martin Purcell, 1981.99
Born in Poland, Jacob Burck immigrated to the United States in 1914. He studied at the Cleveland School of Arts and the Art Students League with Boardman Robinson. Burck was an editorial cartoonist for the Daily Worker and contributed to New Masses and Red Cartoon. In 1953, Burck was brought before the House Un-American Activities (HUAC) committee, where they tried to deport him on charges that he belonged to the Communist Party.
This print is a commentary on the lack of federal assistance during the Great Depression, when many Americans were without work and unable to provide sustenance for their families. It can also be seen as a militant proletarian image and an expression of Burck’s outrage. The unemployed often participated in marches and demonstrations, demanding relief, jobs, and insurance. They were typically met with violence, arrests, and shooting. Measures to impede demonstrations and marches included bans on assembly, denial of permits, police attacks, physical violence, and arrests.
