English War Work: The Shell Factory
1916
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1916
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This painting shows a factory full of women making artillery shells. The windows glow with daylight while the women work at long tables. Big shell casings lean against the walls like metal logs. Pennell painted this in 1916 to show how wartime work looked in America. The women’s faces stay hidden, but you can feel their focus. If you like this gritty style, check out Joseph Pennell’s other prints.
