Joseph Vorst (1897 - 1947)

Original Sin (Untitled), c. 1940, oil on Masonite, signed lower left, estate stamp verso, 20 x 24 inches

$7,500

Joseph Vorst is best known for his sensitive and sometimes somber depictions of rural and working-class life during the Great Depression. His subject matter often included farmers, laborers, and religious imagery rendered with a blend of realism and stylized expressionism. In Original Sin, Vorst draws on biblical themes to explore the human condition, morality, and suffering. His identity as a Seventh-day Adventist deeply informed the spiritual and moral tone of Original Sin. Seventh-day Adventism emphasizes the literal truth of the Bible, the fall of man, and the promise of redemption through divine grace. In this painting, Vorst visualizes the consequences of sin in a way that aligns with Adventist theology—portraying the human experience as a constant struggle between obedience and downfall. The anguished figures, stripped of innocence and cast into a stormy world, reflect the Adventist view of a fallen humanity in need of salvation. The dramatic landscape and looming trees symbolize the spiritual turmoil of a world awaiting Christ’s return. Vorst’s somber palette and emotional intensity also mirror the Adventist concern with judgment, accountability, and the hope for restoration. Vorst’s expressive use of color and exaggerated forms heightens the emotional intensity, connecting religious allegory to Depression-era hardship and the universal burden of human frailty.

Joseph Vorst was a German-born American painter associated with the American Scene, particularly Regionalism. Born in Essen, Germany, Vorst studied at the prestigious Kunstgewerbeschule (School of Arts and Crafts) in Essen and later at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he was influenced by the German Expressionists. He immigrated to the United States in 1930, settling in St. Louis, Missouri, where he became a naturalized citizen and an influential figure in the local art scene. He was a member of the Ste. Genevieve Art Colony, a Missouri-based artists’ community committed to depicting American life with directness and empathy. During the 1930s, Vorst worked for the Works Progress Administration (WPA), producing murals and prints that captured the struggles and dignity of American laborers. He exhibited widely during his lifetime, including at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the St. Louis Art Museum. His work was also shown in various national exhibitions organized by the American Artists’ Congress and other New Deal-era cultural initiatives.

Vorst’s work is held in several major public collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and the National Gallery of Art. Vorst is listed in Who Was Who in American Art and other standard references.