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Artist: Ben Shahn Artist Dates: 1898-1969 Signed Within Plate: Yes Date of Work: 1942 Description: crowd of French working men raising their arms as if under arrest; behind them is an official decree posted from the government. The story of the French occupation contributed to America’s decision to enter the war. Ben Shahn led the Office of War Information (OWI), and the artists in his stable included Bernard Perlin and Henry Koerner. He was also known as a â€aesocial realist,” who said, â€aeI found that I must paint those things that were meaningful to meâ€"that I could honestly paint in the shapes and colors I felt belonged to them. What shall I paint? Stories.” Shahn’s pro-labor sentiments profoundly influenced his works and he spent the last years of his life painting in his adopted home state of New Jersey in a New Deal created utopian cooperative town aptly named Roosevelt, New Jersey. He, along with fellow artists David Stone Martin and Jacob Landeau created what became a vibrant arts community over the years, attracting writers, playwrights, artists and musicians. Today, Roosevelt still stands as a testament to these artists and their vision and a sense of community spirit and artistic expression still permeates this small bucolic enclave. Ben Shahn painted a mural in the hallway at the Roosevelt School in 1937, still one of the largest frescos in the United States. The mural chronicles the history of immigration, labor reforms and the New Deal and a number of historic figures are depicted, including Albert Einstein. This collection is from Dr. David Orzeck by descent to his daughter Lida Orzeck and the entire collection is offered without reserve. Lida Orzeck came across more than 750 vintage war posters from World War I and World War II in her family’s home basement that her father, David Orzeck, a Brooklyn doctor, had meticulously collected. Discovered in 1970, the posters â€" of which few pristine prints remain with the exception of the National Archives and the Library of Congress â€" were in mint condition, neatly catalogued and folded in brown wrapping paper from grocery stores. Size: 40"L x 28"H Weight: <1 pound Provenance: Dr. David Orzeck Condition: Poster has original fold marks and has not been exposed to sunlight, thus preserving the vibrant colors. Recently backed with archival paper (reversible). Artist Biography: Ben Shahn was a Lithuanian-born American artist. He is best known for his works of social realism, his left-wing political views, and his series of lectures published as The Shape of Content.