Ben Shahn (September 12, 1898 – March 14, 1969) is a Lithuanian-born American lithographer, painter, and photographer best known for his works of social realism and his left-wing political views. Shahn’s artistic pursuits began as a teenager when was apprenticed to a lithographer, learning the skill as well as graphic design. In 1921, Shahn enrolled at the City University of New York, then the National Academy of Design. During the Great Depression, Shahn assisted Diego Rivera on a mural and worked for the Resettlement Administration, the Farm Security Administration, and the Office of War Information as a graphic artist, painter, and photographer. Later, he acted as a commercial artist for CBS, Time, Fortune, and Harper’s. In his last two decades, Shahn gave a series of lectures published as The Shape of Content for which he is well known. Shahn has received commendations including honorary doctoral degrees from Princeton and Harvard. His works are held in collections such as the Art Institute of Chicago, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, and the Tate Gallery in London.