Eldzier Cortor The Eviction Analysis

Moving, even when planned can be an emotional time for anyone, so image being moved out by force. The painting The Eviction, 1939-40, by Eldzier Cortor, goes into how chaotic this sudden event is with an African-American woman in the center of it all. The use of color and shape lends to the sudden shift of her circumstances. He used simple shapes for the tall skyscrapers and smokestacks and filling them in with few colors and little detail. Shades of reds and browns are the dominating colors in this picture can be found in any urban setting. The color blue is used throughout this work from the sky, the dress, as well as the bag at her feet and the row of houses on the lower right. The green that is in the picture, which is shown as a triangle
There is a streak going across sky, cutting through the pictorial plane. The orbs of light floating in the background are most likely the traffic lights. The placement of the lights suggests the busy street due to traffic along with the simple outline of a car in red to her right. By being evicted, the woman is more or less thrown into a chaotic world outside of her home. The signs to her left seem to float without being attached to any particular building behind her. The bending skyscrapers might indicate the disorientated feeling one develops while looking up at them. They also seem to move in a menacing way as if they are taunting her. The red skyscraper on the right side appears to cut through the row of houses, showing how the city is changing, making room for new development. Overall The Eviction shows a woman going through a life event that left her without a place to
Most likely the woman in The Eviction was forced to move out due to urban development. The theme of transformation comes into play as something for artists to incorporate in their work. Living in the city gave way to all kinds of experiences— being in large crowds, going to events that were not located elsewhere as well as all of the chances that came with them. New York City was the main subject for many artists of any genre. They did not miss their chance to be a part of liveness that the city has to offer. George Bellows was a part of a group known as “Ashcan” artist that used their talent to capture the ever-changing cityscape. In his work Pennsylvania Station Excavation, 1909, he paints the construction of the now well-known station, showing the rawness of it. By painting the land where Penn Station will stand, it can be seen as a symbol of the rapid transformation that took place at the time. Archibald Motley showed how busy city life could be in his work Black Belt, 1934, which displays the nightlife with full round figures doing various things. In both of Motley and Cortor’s paintings, have African Americans as their