Vintage WWII Art Lithograph "Italian Rush Hour" by Joseph Hirsch
In 1943, Abbott Laboratories (a manufacturer of medical supplies) hired various artists to spend time among United States military medical staff to record their efforts in World War II. Through these artists' works we get an authentic look into the heroic deeds of multitudes of those who served in the armed forces. Afterward, the artwork was toured across the nation, featured in museums and various publications. Here is a chance for you to own one of these authentic works.
"Italian Rush Hour" is a lithograph based on a painting by Joseph Hirsch depicting American military medical vehicles carrying troops through a town in Italy during the invasion of 1943. Joseph Hirsch (1910-1981) is best known for artwork depicting social issues. Trained at the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art, he trained privately with famed artist George Luks, then went on to the Works Project Administration. He would go on to be an artist/war correspondent during World War II, notably with the U.S. Army Medical Corps in North Africa and Italy, he was well known for depictions of injured soldiers. During his life he exhibited at the National Academy of Design, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Corcoran Gallery. His work "Two Men" was voted best contemporary American painting at the 1939 New York World's Fair, and he was twice awarded the Joseph Pennell Purchase Prize for Lithography by the Library of Congress. His works can now be seen at many museums including the Whitney Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and more.
This is an unframed work on paper. In excellent condition, especially for its age. Copyright 1945, Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Ill. U.S.A. Printed in U.S.A.
19 x 7 1/2 inches