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.
Photography & Works
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Arthur Rothstein
A Pioneer Farmer of Davis County, Nebraska Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
A Pioneer Settler in her sod House, Cimarron County, Oklahoma Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
A young couple on their new farm, Douglas County, Nebraska Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Blacksmith Shop, Virginia City, Montana Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Butte, Montana Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Dust Storm, Cimarron County, Oklahoma Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Eleanor Roosevelt and Clementine Churchill in Quebec, Canada Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Fairfield, Montana Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Farmer and Wife, Kersey, CO Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Farmer’s Son with Prize 4 H Club Calf, Fairbury Farmstead, Nebraska Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Federal Resettlement official with farmer at his new house. Fall City Farmstead, Nebraska Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Flood Refugee, Missouri Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
General Store, Pony, Montana Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Kennedy Funeral Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Logs in the Columbia River, Longview, Washington Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Main Street, Fairfield, Montana Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Minnie Knox Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Owner of a Stump Ranch in the Cascades, near the McKenzie River, Oregon Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Porch Gathering, Shenandoah National Park, VA Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
President Dwight D. Eisenhower Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
President of farmers cooperative, Loup City, Farmstead, Nebraska Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
President of the Farmer’s Cooperative, Fairbury, Farmstead, Nebraska Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Ranch Hand in the Bunk House, Brewster, Montana Add to cart -
Arthur Rothstein
Resettled Farmer, Douglas County, Nebraska Add to cart