1988
GUSN-361846
Poster of a oil on canvas painting titled "Working at the Mill" painted by Ralph Fasanella as part of the America's Labor Heritage series dated 1988. Posters include a print of a work by Fasanella and a quote from Fasanella placing the image in context of labor history in the United States. The print depicts Lower Pacific Mill in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The print provides insight into the realities of working in a textile factory, especially for women. The print was produced by Public Domain, an organization dedicated to promoting Fasanella's work in schools and other public institutions, in 1988.
The following is typed on the bottom right: "Ralph Fasanella 'Working at the Mill / The mid-1800s saw thousands of young women leave New England's farms and small rural towns to live in the industrial cities--and work in the sprawling textile mills. The jobs brought much needed wages, wider horizons; a sense of freedom. And they brought long hours, exhaustion and high risk of injury. The spirit of those who built our industries and toiled under difficult conditions is honored in 'Working at the Mill.'"
"1988 Public Domain. An Initiative to Place the Paintings of Ralph Fasanella in Museums and Public Institutions. 244 Hawthorn Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740" is in the bottom right corner along with a "GCIU" union label and "346." The print is signed "Ralph Fansanella 1989" on the lower right corner of the image. "Ralph Fasenella Working at the Mill 1977 Oil on Canvas "96 x 50"" is below the lower left corner of the image.
posters
labor
mills (buildings)
textile mills
women (female humans)
oil paintings (visual works)
posters
TR2601 Tracking group number
1 framed poster : color illustrations ; 21 1/2 x 29 1/2 inches
GC002
Prints and engravings collection, 1830s-1920s
2023
GC002.02.340
Gift
Gift of Sandy and Frank Cichon, 2023
New Bedford (Bristol county, Massachusetts)
Lawrence (Essex county, Massachusetts)
Fasanella, Ralph (Artist)
Public Domain (Producer)
posters
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America
Art
Mill
Work
Print
Photograph was removed from frame for long-term storage. Photographed by Historic New England photographer in frame to document original state.
Item
Ralph Fasanella (1914-1997) was born to Italian immigrant parents in the Bronx, New York. He was the third of six children. Fasanella witnessed the working-class lifestyle of his parents, and eventually worked in a textile factory himself during the Great Depression. These experiences influenced his understanding of the growing economic and social injustice in the United States, particularly in relation to the working class. He volunteered to fight in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, an American paramilitary force fighting to support the Second Spanish Republic against the fascist rule led by General Francisco Franco. Upon his return to the United States, Fasanella began organizing unions as part of the staffof United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE). It was during this time that began to draw and eventually paint in 1945 as a way to alleviate pain in his hands. Fasanella eventually left union organizing to paint full time. His work addressed various complex themes of social, political, and economic unrest, historic events, the union meetings, city life, and more. He used his artwork to bring awareness to the struggles faced by the working class and critique post-World War II America. He died on December 16, 1997 in Yonkers, New York.
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