Nicolai Cikovsky was born in Pinsk, Poland to a fisherman and his wife in 1894. He was encouraged to create art from an early age, and received his formal art training in Russia at the Vilna Art School and Penza Royal Art School. Seeking better opportunities, Cikovsky immigrated to the United states in 1923 and Settled in New York. While in New York, Cikovsky met a fellow immigrant named Raphael Soyer. Cikovsky was influenced by Soyers art and began to paint Social Realism that expressed his growing belief that “the future of American art will be more closely identified with the working class.” Cikovsky died in 1984 in Washington D.C.
“On the East River”, is a black and white painting created in 1934 using acrylic paint on canvas. The painting depicts two men sitting along a dock on the East River after a long day. The Great Depression was the most severe depression to ever hit the United States in 1929. Along with high prices and failing banks, millions of people lost their job. This painting powerfully reflects the hardships and emotions that jobless Americans faced during that time. Both men are dressed in working class clothes looking extremely tired. One man is sleeping on newspapers, possibly signifying that he does not currently have a place to stay. I interpret this image as two men who work as hard as they can, but because of the hard time that the country is going through, they still come up short and can partake in any form of luxuries or necessities like housing. Cikovsky accomplished his goal of displaying working class Americans through art in this painting. During this time working class Americans were struggling and these two men one the east river clearly demonstrate that.