John Henry's Funeral
1935[-]40
![John Henry's Funeral by Fred Becker, 1935[-]40](https://www.thequadro.com/api/storage/artworks/thumb/l/fred-becker/fred-becker_john-henry-s-funeral_d7c90506)
Fred Becker’s 'John Henry’s Funeral' is a wild, chaotic print that brings the legendary American folk hero's send-off to life with surreal energy. Instead of a somber goodbye, the scene explodes with grinning faces, floating musical instruments, and a giant, wide-eyed figure presiding over a coffin. The jagged white lines carved into the black background give the whole piece a vibrating, almost musical rhythm, perfectly capturing the loud, brass-band tradition of a jazz funeral. It’s a striking example of 1930s American modernism that turns a classic tall tale into a haunting, rhythmic visual jam session.