Minerva Teichert (1888-1976), “Immigrants to New York City (Jewish Refugees),” 1938, oil on canvas, 59 1/4 x 37 1/4 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art.
In Minerva Teichert’s Immigrants to New York City (Jewish Refugees), we see a group of Jewish immigrants entering the New York Harbor on the eve of World War II. The figures, lines, and colors in this painting convey a variety of emotions, including hope, concern, and anticipation for the new beginning they are about to experience. They may have asked themselves questions like: How different will America be? What do I do now? Or they may have even wondered: Are there aspects of my life and personality that I want to change? Perhaps you have not been driven out of your country forced to find a new home, but on a much smaller scale, each year provides a positive opportunity to ask yourself similar questions: What do I want to make of this year? Do I want to do anything differently? What do I want to change this year?
Immigrants to New York City (Jewish Refugees) is on view in Becoming America through January 15.