Most family historians collect stories, photographs, letters, and heirlooms as a means of connecting with their ancestors. These items can give the living a glimpse into the daily lives of those who have gone before. Try and explain to a child today what life was like before flat panel television, iPods, cell phones, and video games. Now explain how you only had one small screen but relatively large bodied television for the whole family to share and only 13 channels to choose from. To make it worse, tell them how your parents and grandparents didn’t have television or any other those other common place electronic devices.
You have heard these types of analogies before. As family historians, you probably appreciate the comparative struggles your ancestors went through just to survive. But, the basic point is, the day to day life of our ancestors was different from our own.
We are accustom to discovering what that daily life was like through the collection of documents, images, and heirlooms we collect. Added to this are the histories we learned in school are have read in books. But what about art?
Paintings, sculptures, drawings, and more can give us a perspective on life in other times. Let me give one example.
Currently on display, through a collaborative joint exhibition between the Utah Museum of Fine Art and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’ Church History Museum, are the works of LeConte Stewart. Stewart is considered one of the great Depression Era artists. His work is considered to be among the best at showing what the “raw side of life” was like during the Great Depression. Viewing his work is like looking into history and seeing the struggles faced by those living through these trying times.
Over the years I have heard my own Grandfather talk of the struggles his family faced during the depression. I have seen how he handles money and buying decisions as a result of difficult lessons learned early in life. I have even seen a few photographs and of course have studied the Depression in school. But, seeing art depicting the struggles brings those trying times into some focus—adds clarity.
There are many artists of the centuries whose work depict the daily lives of those living at the time. Some work examines the struggles some face, while other works depict happier times, how people relaxed and sought refuge from their struggles. All can give us a glimpse of the past and a greater appreciation for the daily lives of our ancestors.
Running through January 15, 2012 you can see the works of LeConte Stewart. Many of these works are owned by private collectors and may not be seen again for many years.
The Church History Museum is hosting LeConte Stewart: The Soul of Rural Utah
The Utah Museum of Fine Art is hosting LeConte Stewart: Depression Era Art
Exhibits have been up since July and end in January. For more information, please visit the websites for the Church History Museum or the Utah Museum of Fine Art.