Arthur Rothstein

Arthur Rothstein (1915–1985) was a pivotal American photojournalist whose images helped shape the visual record of 20th-century American life. Best known for his work with the Farm Security Administration (FSA) during the Great Depression, Rothstein’s photographs captured both the hardships and resilience of rural America during one of its most challenging eras. His keen eye for composition and empathy for his subjects produced enduring images that remain central to the canon of American documentary photography.

Born in New York City, Rothstein studied at Columbia University in the 1930s, where he was mentored by economist Rexford Tugwell and documentary photography pioneer Roy Stryker. In 1935, Stryker recruited him as the first staff photographer for the newly formed FSA photography program, a government initiative designed to raise awareness of rural poverty and promote New Deal agricultural reforms. Working alongside photographers such as Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Ben Shahn, and Mary Post Wolcott, Rothstein contributed to what would become one of the most influential documentary photography projects in American history.

In 1936, Rothstein created one of his most iconic images, Fleeing a Dust Storm, in Cimarron County, Oklahoma. The photograph, which depicts a farmer and his two sons trudging through a blinding storm, became a powerful symbol of the Dust Bowl and the broader economic despair of the Great Depression. Throughout this period, Rothstein’s work balanced formal rigor with deep emotional impact, offering intimate glimpses into the lives of displaced families, tenant farmers, and laborers across the country.

Rothstein joined Look magazine in 1940 and began producing photo essays for a wide readership. During World War II, he worked for the U.S. Army Signal Corps and the Office of War Information, completing assignments in China, Burma, and India that documented the global theater of war. After returning to the U.S., he resumed his position at Look, eventually becoming its Director of Photography, a role he held until the magazine’s closure in 1971. He then served in the same capacity at Parade magazine.

A prolific and versatile image-maker, Rothstein worked across genres and formats, including portraiture, travel, editorial, and commercial assignments. He authored seven books on photography, contributed to numerous exhibitions, and taught at institutions across the country. His technical innovations included the development of the X-O-Graph printing process, which added depth and tone to halftone images.

Arthur Rothstein’s work is celebrated for its humanistic vision, documentary clarity, and contribution to shaping the public’s understanding of American life in times of crisis and change. His photographs remain in major collections and archives, serving as both historical documents and enduring works of art.