Curry, Roadmenders
John Steuart Curry, along with his compatriots Thomas Hart Benton and Grant Wood, was one of the most prominent practitioners of regionalism. Painted in 1929, Curry’s depiction of a community of road menders, while less grim than other images of itinerant laborers and displaced families from the era, illustrates a task that many rural residents undertook to make ends meet after enduring hard times on the farm. Yet rather than capturing their rigorous work, Curry instead emphasizes communal leisure time. This scene is not completely idealized, however, as the men are shown relaxing, but the women continue to perform domestic tasks while tending to the children.John Steuart CurryAmerican1897Dunavant, KS1946Madison, WI 
Roadmenders’ Camp (The Road Workers’ Camp)1929Oil on canvas40 1/4 × 52 1/8University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Anna R. and Frank M. Hall Charitable TrustH-164.1934
Roadmenders’ Camp (The Road Workers’ Camp)1929Oil on canvas40 1/4 × 52 1/8University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Anna R. and Frank M. Hall Charitable TrustH-164.1934