In the first, most intense years of the Cold War (1947-1954), New Deal liberals often found themselves in great disfavor. Ben Shahn's experience presents something of a paradox, however, since his paintings appealed in different ways to both liberals and conservatives. Blacklisted by CBS during the McCarthy era and yet, ironically, incorporated into presidential "campaigns of truth" aimed at improving the U.S. image abroad, Ben Shahn is a pivotal figure, revealing the complexities and contradictions inherent in this highly polarized moment in American history.
In this pathbreaking...
In the first, most intense years of the Cold War (1947-1954), New Deal liberals often found themselves in great disfavor. Ben Shahn's experience pr...