Hardworking hands

Imagine a noisy factory in 1936, where the roar of machines echoes and the sound of hammers reverberates. Amid this chaos, a Moshely poster stands as a warning beacon. The drawn hands, strong but vulnerable, tell a silent story: a simple neglect could cost the worker his source of income. During the thirties, the United States was suffering from the Great Depression, and President Franklin Roosevelt launched the "New Deal" programs to provide jobs. The Federal Art Project (FAP), established in 1935 under Holger Cahill's management, was the largest arts program in the New Deal, providing jobs for more than 10,000 artists. Artists produced works that decorated public places, such as schools and hospitals, and posters like Moshely's were designed to raise public awareness about social issues like safety. This poster, according to sources like the Library of Congress, embodies the spirit of that period: practical art serving the community.