Overview
- Brief Narrative
- Tempera painting on board by Harold Lehman depicting a woman holding a baby and looking through a broken wall at the ruins of a bombed out building. Tempera is a paint medium of dry pigments mixed with a water-soluble binder, such as egg yolk. This piece likely depicts the aftermath of Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
- Title
- Russian War Relief
- Date
-
creation:
1943
- Geography
-
creation:
Woodstock (N.Y.)
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Lisa Lehman Trager
- Markings
- back, top left, handwritten, black colored pencil : H LEHMAN / WOODSTOCK / N.Y.
- Signature
- front, bottom left, painted, orange paint : HL
- Contributor
-
Artist:
Harold Lehman
- Biography
-
Harold Lehman (1913-2006) was born in New York City, New York to Abraham and Rachel Lehman, immigrants from Europe who arrived in New York at the turn of the twentieth century. Early on, Harold’s father struggled to find consistent employment, working as a mailman and a vaudeville dancer. Later he found steady work as an insurance agent and then left the family and moved to California. His mother was a seamstress. Harold had a twin brother and was one of five children. Harold was part Jewish, and went through synagogue as a boy. The family lived in the West side of Brooklyn and then in the Bronx. In February 1930, Harold and his older brother Charlie moved to California to live with their father.
In California, Harold enrolled at the Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles. There he formed lifelong friendships with future notable artists such as Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, and Manuel Tolegain. Early in his art career, Harold worked primarily as a sculptor. He used plaster and clay as well as carving directly in stone. In 1931, after graduating from Manual Arts, Lehman won a citywide competition for a yearlong scholarship to the Otis Art Institute. In 1932, after leaving Otis, Harold focused on painting and began working with painter D.A. Siqueiros, joining his “Bloc of Painters,” a group of artists with socialist leanings. In 1933, Harold won second place in the Los Angeles Museum’s annual competition of painters and sculptors. In 1933 and 1934, Harold did work for the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) a New Deal program to employ artists.
In 1935, Harold felt he had gone as far as he could in Los Angeles, and returned to New York City. There he painted murals for the Federal Art Project, another New Deal program created to employ artists, and sold paintings at exhibits and shows. During this time he continued working with Siqueiros and began experimenting with different types of paints, lacquers and application methods. In 1936 and 1937, Harold created paintings opposing the Fascists and the German and Italian intervention in the Spanish Civil War. In 1939, Harold painted a mural for the World’s Fair in New York. While working with Siqueiros, Harold also designed floats for several New York City parades promoting the Allied war effort and denouncing fascism. In the fall of 1941, Harold fell while painting a mural and broke both his arms. While recuperating, Harold was called up for service by the draft board. With the combination of his broken arms, his disinclination towards violence, his inability to take orders and his work as an artist for federal programs, he was able to get a deferral.
In 1942, Harold moved from New York City to Woodstock, NY where he created several war paintings for the Section of Fine Arts and the Treasury Department. Around this time, Harold was approached by Arnold Blanch and Reeves Lewenthal, from the Associated American Artist Gallery. Through a partnership with Associated American Artists and the United States Treasury Department, Abbott Laboratories created a program to create advertisements and illustrations for its medical journal What’s New and for the United States Government’s War Department through their Schools-At-War program. They provided Harold with poster themes and he was free to create within that setting. The series of posters was created through the auspices of the Treasury Department and were successfully published nationwide. In 1943, two of Harold’s war posters were featured in the Museum of Modern Art’s Artists for Victory exhibit. In 1945, in response to the revelation of the atrocities of the Holocaust, Harold did many blackened drawings of prisoners and the camps.
In 1946, Harold left Woodstock and returned to New York City. He continued easel painting, sculpting, and photography. He also began teaching art from his studio on West 21st Street. In 1950, Lehman met Leona Koutras, who had come to his studio for art lessons. Two years later they married and had two children. In the 1970s Harold worked as designer and scenic artist for CBS and NBC television.
Physical Details
- Classification
-
Art
- Category
-
Paintings
- Object Type
-
Tempera painting (lcsh)
- Genre/Form
- Tempera Painting.
- Physical Description
- Tempera painting on bristol board depicting a blonde haired woman in three quarter left profile holding her baby and looking through a broken wall into a glowing night sky. The woman wears a heavily draped, red top and a cream colored head scarf with a light blue border stripe. Cradled in her arms is a small baby wearing a blue bonnet with white trim. She is standing in front of a large, cracked, black wall looking out at the ruins of a neighboring building. The sky outside is dark with orange and red shading. The artist’s initials are in the lower left corner and there are colored pencil markings on the back. The paint on the woman and baby’s faces is dried and cracking and there is slight edge damage.
- Dimensions
- overall: Height: 21.625 inches (54.928 cm) | Width: 13.875 inches (35.243 cm)
- Materials
- overall : bristol board, paint, colored pencil
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- No restrictions on access
- Conditions on Use
- Restrictions on use
Keywords & Subjects
Administrative Notes
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- The painting was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2015 by Lisa Lehman Trager, the daughter of Harold Lehman.
- Record last modified:
- 2023-02-23 16:50:54
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn597105
Also in Harold Lehman collection
The collection consists of paintings, drawings, sketches, publications, prints and photographs relating to the artist Harold Lehman and his experiences in the United States before, during, and after World War II.
Date: 1936-1945 September 02
Painting of a Civil Defense Worker turning a pipe valve
Object
Painting on board by Harold Lehman featuring a Civil Defense worker turning a valve on a large L shaped pipe. In the prelude to American involvement in World War II, the public feared attacks on populated areas, similar to those that were taking place in Europe. On May 20, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt set up the Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) to coordinate state and federal measures to protect civilians in a war-related emergency. Trained volunteers displayed their insignia on arm bands and uniforms or civilian dress. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941 Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Painted gouache study of four allied soldiers standing in line for a United Front Parade float
Object
Gouache study on board by Harold Lehman depicting four uniformed soldiers, one from each of the major Allied nations of WWII. Gouache is an opaque watercolor paint. It has a heavy, velvety texture that absorbs light rather than reflecting it, which gives the paint a smooth appearance. The image was made while Lehman was working at the Siquieros Experimental Workshop in New York City and was the original sketch for a parade float for New York City’s United Front parade in 1941. The float was an advertisement for donations for the Red Cross. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Charcoal drawing of a soldier face down on the ground with caricatured faces behind him
Object
Anti-fascist charcoal drawing by Harold Lehman depicting a Spanish Civil War soldier lying face down in hilly terrain with his rifle and helmet strewn before him. Looming behind him are three caricatured heads, likely Adolf Hitler, Francisco Franco, and Benito Mussolini. Both Hitler and Mussolini offered aid to Franco and his fascist forces during the Spanish Civil War. Floating overhead is the saying “No Pasarán” which translates to “they shall not pass.” This was a slogan used by Spanish Communist leader Dolores Ibárruri during the Siege of Madrid. With the combination of the soldier, the phrase and the faces, Lehman is saying that free people would die rather than let the fascists win. The woman and child on the left are symbols of what they are fighting for. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Pencil caricature of William Randolph Hearst and Adolf Hitler in a boat for Anti-Hearst Day
Object
Pencil sketch by Harold Lehman for the design of a boat float with Adolf Hitler and William Randolph Hearst with revolving, interchangeable heads sitting back to back in the center. The float was meant to sail along the beach of Coney Island on July 4, 1936 which was proclaimed Anti-Hearst Day by the Anti-fascist movement. William Randolph Hearst was one of the largest newspaper and magazine publishers in the United States. In the 1930s he commissioned Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, and other high ranking Nazis to write columns for his papers. The float was made by the Siquieros Experimental Workshop in New York City, where Harold Lehman worked. Award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Pastel drawing of a soldier reading a letter
Object
Pastel drawing on paper by Harold Lehman depicting a soldier holding a letter in both hands. Large script covers the entire image suggesting the soldier is dictating a letter home. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Pastel with a stylized image of Adolf Hitler encouraging Americans to buy war bonds
Object
Colorful pastel drawing on paper by Harold Lehman featuring an abstract caricature of Hitler with a disproportionately large head. The drawing is a study for a war bond advertisement poster and conveys that buying war bonds will antagonize Hitler. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Painting of two concentration camp inmates standing behind a barbed wire fence
Object
Black and white ink wash painting on paper by Harold Lehman depicting two malnourished, shirtless concentration camp inmates behind a concrete barrier with glass shards and a barbed wire fence. Harold Lehman painted this piece after learning of the Nazi atrocities in Europe. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. Harold was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Anti-Nazi lithograph featuring Hitler surrounded by children’s faces
Object
Black and white offset lithograph on paper by Harold Lehman showing Adolf Hitler ringed by several children’s ghostly faces. The image is artist Harold Lehman’s reaction to the bombing of the town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. In April 1937, at the request of Francisco Franco, German planes bombed Guernica, killing 1,600 civilians, destroying 70% of the town and shocking the American public. The piece was exhibited in the Alma Reed Gallery. Alma Reed was formerly an American reporter who worked in Mexico. In 1928 she left journalism and opened an art gallery in New York. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
American war bond propaganda poster featuring a paratrooper jumping from a plane
Object
Offset lithographic war bond advertisement poster by Harold Lehman with an image of a paratrooper about to jump from a plane. The poster was published as a contribution to the Treasury’s Schools-At-War program. Through a partnership with Associated American Artists and the United States Treasury Department, Abbott Laboratories created a program to create advertisements and illustrations for its medical journal What’s New and for the United States Government’s War Department. Reeves Lewenthal, head of the Associated American Artists, contacted Lehman and gave him free reign to design a paratrooper themed poster how he saw fit. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create other War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Abstract linocut print depicting three figures with long necks and their heads in the clouds
Object
Black and red linocut print by Harold Lehman depicting a surrealist image of three human bodies with elongated necks and their heads in a cloud. The image is a criticism of American isolationists who did not want to get involved in World War II. Lehman’s depiction implies they are looking up and ignoring what is happening around them. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941 Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Anti-Nazi pastel drawing of a gagged man
Object
Pastel anti-Nazi drawing by Harold Lehman depicting a man with an upturned head with a black band with a red swastika around his mouth. The man is being silenced by the Nazis, showing how the authoritarian regime restricted free speech and other rights of its people. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Double-sided artist’s study for a poster of a soldier pulling a grenade pin with his teeth
Object
Pencil sketch by Harold Lehman of a soldier in right profile pulling the pin from a grenade with his teeth. Through a partnership with Associated American Artists and the United States Treasury Department, Abbott Laboratories created a program to produce war bond advertisement posters for distribution across the United States. Reeves Lewenthal, head of the Associated American Artists, met with Lehman and asked him to design a poster with the theme of an invasion of Europe. Lehman took a piece of Lewenthal’s note paper and immediately drew this sketch in his office, The sketch was used as a study for the poster "Get Your Might into the Fight" (see 2016.547.3). The image, a right profile close up of a soldier’s face, is an adaptation of Michelangelo’s David. In place of the sling on David’s shoulder is a grenade in the soldier’s mouth. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create other War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
American buy war bonds poster featuring a soldier pulling a grenade pin with his teeth
Object
Offset lithographic poster by Harold Lehman of a soldier in right profile pulling the pin from a grenade with his teeth. Through a partnership with Abbott Laboratories and the United States Treasury Department, Associated American Artists created a program to produce war bond advertisement posters for distribution across the United States. Reeves Lewenthal head of the Associated American Artists, met with Lehman and asked him to design a poster with the theme of an invasion of Europe. Lehman took a piece of note paper and immediately sketched the study for this poster (see 2016.547.2). The image, a right profile close up of a soldier’s face, is an adaptation of Michelangelo’s David. In place of the sling on David’s shoulder is a grenade in the soldier’s mouth. An award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create other War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Propaganda catalog featuring a series of pro-American war paintings by Thomas Hart Benton
Object
Catalog owned by Harold Lehman featuring reproductions of Thomas Hart Benton’s series of ten anti-fascist paintings created after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The images show what could happen if America were to be attacked in the Midwest. Benton originally created these pieces to strengthen American patriotism and warn Americans of the dangers of isolationism. The catalog was widely distributed and part of a massive anti-fascist propaganda publicity campaign that utilized the images. Thomas Hart Benton was an artist born in Neosho, Missouri. He produced paintings, lithographs, and murals and contributed to the Regionalist Movement which captured rural American life during the 1920s. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, America was faced with an impending war. Benton, along with many other artists of the time, chose to use their work to make political statements. Award winning painter, muralist and sculptor, Harold Lehman was known for making political statements with his artwork. He was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. Like Thomas Hart Benton, Lehman worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Harold Lehman photograph collection
Document
Collection includes photographs and documents related to works of art created by artist Harold Lehman [donor's father], an American artist for the Works Progress Administration (later Works Projects Administration, or WPA) in Los Angeles and New York who painted WPA murals, designed WWII war bonds posters, made antifascist art as well as designed floats for antifascist parades and events.
Political cartoon book illustrating the history of Europe since the end of WWI
Object
Small paperback book owned by Harold Lehman of one hundred political cartoons by David Low illustrating the history of Europe from the Treaty of Versailles until the onset of World War II. David Low was a New Zealand born, self-taught artist who created political cartoons for newspapers first in New Zealand and Australia, then in Great Britain. His cartoons were later syndicated worldwide. Low satirized British politicians along with their foreign and domestic policies and developments in international politics. Low was especially critical of the fascist regimes of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Josef Stalin. He also criticized British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement toward Germany in the 1930s. Both Low and Harold Lehman were known for making political statements with their art. Lehman was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941, Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
Political cartoon book illustrating Europe during WWII
Object
Small paperback book owned by Harold Lehman of sixty political cartoons by David Low illustrating the lead up to World War II and the course of war up to 1941 owned by Harold Lehman. All but two of the cartoons were previously published in The London Evening Standard, the Picture Post, or Collier’s newspapers. David Low was a New Zealand born, self-taught artist who created political cartoons for newspapers first in New Zealand and Australia, then in Great Britain. His cartoons were later syndicated worldwide. Low satirized British politicians along with their foreign and domestic policies and developments in international politics. Low was especially critical of the fascist regimes of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Josef Stalin. He also criticized British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement toward Germany in the 1930s. Both Low and Harold Lehman were known for making political statements with their art. Lehman was born and raised in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles as a teenager, attending the Otis Art Institute. While in L.A. he worked with Phil Guston, Jackson Pollock, D.A. Siqueiros, and Manuel Tolegain. In 1941 Harold moved back to New York and continued his career, working with the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) and the Federal Art Project, both New Deal programs to employ artists. He also worked with the Treasury department and Abbott Laboratories to create War Bond advertisements, pro-American propaganda, and anti-fascist pieces.
