The Eviction

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Grathwol, a tire builder at Firestone, was also a serious self-taught artist who won awards locally and exhibited nationally. 'The Eviction' won second prize in the Akron Art Institute’s 1948 May Show. This Akron scene may be Grathwol’s only painting to focus on social commentary. In 1946, the post-war housing shortage and low interest home loans for veterans created wildly escalating prices for real estate. Unscrupulous landlords evicted renters suddenly and without just cause to sell houses for inflated amounts. It is not know why Grathwol, who was not personally affected by the housing shortage, decided to address this topic or whether the painting depicts a specific incident.

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Crowd
Ohio Art
Winter
House
Snow
Police