Image: Arthur Szyk (1894-1951). Visual History of Nations, The United States of America (1945), New York

Description: Arthur Szyk, a master of iconic symbolism, employed his meticulous talents as a historic researcher to create this highly informative Visual History of the United States. Presiding over the illustration is the Great Seal of the United States. The American bald eagle, the national bird, clasps an olive branch (representing peace) and 13 arrows (one for each founding colonial state, representing war) in its talons. In its beak is a scroll with the Latin expression E Pluribus Unum (Out of many, one), referring to the synthesis of a single nation out of the 13 originating states. The original states are further indicated by the 13 red and white stripes on the shield in the center of the Great Seal. The 48 white stars on circular blue backgrounds that appear throughout this illumination stand for the 48 states then in the United States (Alaska and Hawaii achieved statehood after Szyk’s painting was completed). A beaver, a buffalo, a red squirrel, and a black bear are ensconced within the decorative scrollwork. This Visual History is rich with references to the United States’ natural resources and to its citizens’ resourcefulness — dams, bridges, boats, industrial and urban development. Connecting the country together are the railroad and the Pony Express, pictured at the bottom, as well as modernized rail and air travel (shown behind the Pony Express rider). In contrast to Szyk’s typical portraiture in the Visual History series, there are no faces of famous scientists, artists, or politicians. He draws exclusively upon the everyday man. At the center bottom of the image sit a farmer and an industrial worker, growing America’s food and the American industrial economy. To the left and right of the central area are four other American faces. At the top is a black American, perhaps a farmer, and a Native American wearing a feathered headband typical of the Abenaki Indian tribe of the Northeast. Each man represents a larger group of individuals who have long struggled to achieve freedom and equal rights in the United States. Below them are an archetypal sailor and soldier, who represent the earliest U.S. armed forces, steadfastly preserving the American dream of freedom.
Title: Arthur Szyk (1894-1951). Visual History of Nations, The United States of America (1945), New York
Credit: The Arthur Szyk Society, Burlingame, CA (www.szyk.org)
Author: Arthur Szyk
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0
License: CC BY-SA 4.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Attribution Required?: Yes