This photograph appeared in conjunction with an editorial on Art Week, a festival started by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1940. These cross-country art shows featuring reasonably priced works of art were aimed at increasing the visibility of American artists and the affordability of fine art for the masses. Yasuo Kuniyoshi supported the program and often sold his work on an installment plan that allowed people of average means to purchase his work. Equally interested in promoting the rights of artists, Kuniyoshi founded and became the first president of the Artists Equity Association in 1947.

Max Yavno (1911-1985)
Gelatin silver print, circa 1938
Published November 23, 1940
Center for Creative Photography, The University of Arizona, Tucson
© 1998 Center for Creative Photography; The University of Arizona Foundation