Joseph Pennell's Pictures of War Work in America E-Book

Joseph Pennell

• Herausgeber: Booksell-Verlag
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

In "Joseph Pennell's Pictures of War Work in America," the author presents a striking visual narrative that chronicles the industrial and societal transformations brought forth by World War I. Combining his artistic prowess with keen observation, Pennell employs a blend of realist and impressionistic styles to depict the stark realities of war work. His illustrations serve not only as artistic expressions but also as historical documentation, capturing the fervor of American labor from munitions factories to shipyards, underlining themes of patriotism and sacrifice amidst the backdrop of a nation in turmoil. Joseph Pennell (1857-1926), a celebrated artist and lithographer, was deeply influenced by the socio-political climate of his time. His extensive travels and active participation in the avant-garde art movement connected him to broader artistic trends, while his personal experiences of witnessing the war's impact on society fueled his desire to document the American home front. This endeavor highlights Pennell's dedication to capturing the nuances of everyday struggles and triumphs during a pivotal moment in history, showcasing his ability to combine art with activism. This book is a compelling read for historians, artists, and anyone intrigued by the intersection of art and wartime labor. Pennell'Äôs work not only serves as a testament to the transformative impact of World War I on American society but also as an evocative reminder of art's power to reflect and shape historical narratives. A must-read for those seeking to understand the aesthetic responses to one of America's defining moments.

Leseprobe

Joseph Pennell

Joseph Pennell's Pictures of War Work in America

Published by Good Press, 2022

[email protected]

EAN 4064066137977

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION—MY LITHOGRAPHS OF WAR WORK

I THE KEEL

II UNDER THE SHED

III THE ARMOR PLATE PRESS

IV IN THE LAND OF BROBDIGNAG: THE ARMOR PLATE BENDING PRESS

V BUILDING THE BATTLE SHIP

VI MAKING A TURBINE ENGINE

VII MAKING PROPELLER BLADES

VIII THE PROW

IX READY TO START

X THE COLLIER

XI BUILDING SUBMARINE CHASERS

XII BUILDING DESTROYERS. NO. ONE

XIII BUILDING DESTROYERS. NO. TWO

XIV IN THE DRY DOCK

XV THE OLD AND THE NEW

XVI SUBMARINES IN DRY DOCK

XVII THE TRANSPORTS

XVIII READY FOR SERVICE AGAIN

XIX THE BALLOON SHED

XX THE LARKS

XXI MAKING RIFLES

XXII THE FORGES

XXIII CASTING SHELLS

XXIV FORGING SHELLS: THE SLAVES OF THE WHEEL

XXV THE WHITE AND THE BLACK HAMMERS

XXVI SHELL FACTORY NO. TWO: FROM SHOP TO SHOP

XXVII SHAPING A GUN FROM AN INGOT

XXVIII THE GUN PIT. NO. ONE

XXIX THE GUN PIT. NO. TWO

XXX THE GUN FACTORY

XXXI THE BIGGEST LATHE IN THE WORLD

XXXII THE GUN TESTING GROUND

XXXIII THE RIVETERS

XXXIV BUILDING ENGINES FOR THE ALLIES

XXXV THE FLYING LOCOMOTIVE

XXXVI THE CAMP: THE NEW ARCHITECTURE

INTRODUCTION—MY LITHOGRAPHS OF WAR WORK

Table of Contents

IHAVE come back from the Jaws of Death—back from the Mouth of Hell—to my own land, my own people. I have never passed such an exciting year in my life—and beside, I hope I have been able to accomplish something in my work which shall show one phase of the Wonder of the World’s Work of to-day. I was honoured a year ago by being permitted by the Rt. Hon. David Lloyd George, then Minister of Munitions in England, to make drawings in the various factories and works and shipyards which were engaged in war work in that country—and the records of what I saw were published as lithographs of War Work in England and in a previous volume in this series. Now, though I do not believe in war, I do not see why some pictorial record of what is being done to carry on the war should not be made—made from an artist’s standpoint—for we are in it—being in the world—but I am not of it.

When my work—or as much of it as I was allowed to do—was finished and exhibited and published—I was invited by the French Minister of Munitions, M. Albert Thomas, to visit the front and make studies of similar subjects in France, but—owing to a combination of unfortunate circumstances—though I went to France twice during the Summer of this year, I was unable to get anything of importance. This was my fault, or my misfortune—I failed—and the memory of my failure will haunt me, and be a cause of regret to me, all my life—unless I am able to wipe out my failure—in another visit to France. But though I failed to make any drawings—any records of the subjects I was so freely shown—I was shown on my two visits many subjects, which were supremely interesting, could I have but drawn them—had I been able to do so they would have been worth doing. Not only was I taken to the front, which was not the part I saw, picturesque, but I was also taken to see some of those parts of France which have been fought over, some of the towns which have been destroyed, some of the land which is desolate, and I have also seen some of the French munition factories. Then I came home, for I believe the place for an American at the present time is at home. And on my arrival I was authorized to make records by our Government similar to those I had made in England, and had failed to make in France—what I have done in the United States is shown in this book.

I have had more opportunities of seeing what is being done in war work in England, France and the United States than any one else—and in a fashion that no one else has been permitted to see. I have seen war in the making. Yet I did not do these drawings with any idea of helping to win the war, but because for years I have been at work—from my earliest drawings—trying to record The Wonder of Work, and work never was so wonderful as it is to-day. And never had any one such help—such aid, such encouragement given him to record its wonder—and by the Governments of the three great countries which are engaged in “this incredibly horrible, absolutely unnecessary war, easily avoided war,” to quote a British Statesman.