Flood
Born and raised in St. Clairsville, Pennsylvania, Imler might have referenced the 1936 flooding of Johnstown in his home state through this wood engraving. Following heavy rain and melting snow in March that year, a deluge devastated the whole town and left hundreds of residents homeless. In this print, the artist depicted one family rushing out of a flooded house, focusing on their effort to escape the water as it engulfs their property. Through a window, a woman hands a little child to another woman, who precariously floats on a piece of driftwood along with the rest of the family.
Artwork Details
- Title: Flood
- Artist: Edgar Imler (American, Clairsville, Pennsylvania 1896–1973 Altoona, Pennsylvania)
- Publisher: WPA
- Date: ca. 1937
- Medium: Wood engraving
- Dimensions: Image: 6 × 8 in. (15.2 × 20.3 cm)
Sheet: 7 3/4 × 11 1/2 in. (19.7 × 29.2 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Gift of New York City W. P. A., 1943
- Object Number: 43.33.98
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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