Open full image Pin

Smelters - Pittsburgh

Earl Horter

1914

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Early Modern

Dominant colour

Smelters - Pittsburgh is a 1914 ink by Earl Horter, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Earl Horter
When & what style?: 1914
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This black-and-white print shows a busy industrial scene with workers around heavy machinery. In the background, a large building with columns looms, while trees and smokestacks fill the sky. The foreground has people handling long wooden beams and ropes, with a horse pulling a cart loaded with materials. The artist used fine lines to create texture, making the metal and wood look rough. The scene feels noisy and full of activity, with no clear focus—just the daily grind of labor. Check out the technique: etching to see how artists like this create detailed prints.