Building Destroyers, No.I

Building Destroyers, No.I

Joseph Pennell

1917

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a busy construction site with a tall metal tower under assembly. Workers and machinery fill the foreground, while a long bridge stretches across the top. The lines are loose and quick, like a hurried sketch. The artist focused on the chaos of building—cables, beams, and cranes all tangled together. It feels like a snapshot of industry in motion. Next, check out the technique: lithography to see how this print was made.

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