1934 Print Meat Butcher Armour Chicago Illinois Bourke-White Steer FZ3

This is an original 1934 halftone print of an Armour and Company butcher separating the chuck from the rest of the forequarter. The average steer yields about 150 pounds of chuck.

Chicago was known for its Union Stock Yards-- the largest meatpacking center of the world at the time. It was centralized by several different railway systems. Upton Sinclair discussed the Union Stock Yards and the meatpacking industry in his 1906 novel, "The Jungle." It revealed the corruption of the industry, and described how poorly the workers were treated. The book illuminated the grotesque practices of meatpacking. The novel pushed the government to pass the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. In 1934, there was a large fire that burned over 90% of the stockyards. The Union Stock Yards remained for over a century, until they were shut down in 1971.

Photography by Margaret Bourke-White. Bourke-White was an American photographer, born in the Bronx, New York, and is known for being the first female war correspondent. She was also the first female photographer for Life magazine, and the first foreign photographer allowed to take images of Soviet industry. She became the staff photographer and associate editor for Fortune. During World War II, she took images in the combat zones, and was the only foreign photographer in Moscow when the German forces invaded; she was able to capture the ensuing battle with her rolls of film. She is also known for her images of Gandhi, and Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Her images show amazing depth, and wonderful contrast. Her photographs can be seen in the Brooklyn Museum, the Museum of Modern At, the Library of Congress, and the Cleveland Museum of Art.

CONDITION

This 77+ year old Item is rated Near Mint / Very Fine+. Light aging throughout. No creases. No natural defects. No surface rub. No tears. No water damage. Please note that there is print on the reverse.

• Product Type: Original Halftone Print; Black / White
• Grade: Near Mint / Very Fine+
• Dimensions: Approximately 3.5 x 5 inches; 9 x 13 cm
• Authentication: Serial-Numbered Certificate of Authenticity w/ Full Provenance
• Protection: Packaged in a custom archival sleeve with an acid-free black board (great for display, gift-giving, and preservation)

Keywords specific to this image: food, dinner, dining, meat, worker

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