SPL03111 – European Artists and American Propaganda in World War II

Instructor: Benjamin Benus, Ph.D

With its entry into WWII, the U.S. government faced the task of preparing Americans for the sacrifices it would ask of them. At the same time, American business leaders saw an opportunity to publicize their companies’ contributions to the war effort. To achieve these ends, government agencies and private enterprises alike turned to artists for help. European artists, many of whom had recently fled Nazi-occupied Europe, produced some of the most visually striking and inventive posters and exhibitions for these campaigns. This richly illustrated lecture explores how recent émigrés found artistic and professional opportunities in these campaigns and transformed midcentury American art and culture in the process.

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