Shaping a Gun from an Ingot
1917
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1917
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Shaping a Gun from an Ingot is a 1917 ink by Joseph Pennell, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a cluttered workshop filled with tools and metal parts. A large, glowing ingot sits in the center, surrounded by hammers, tongs, and a half-finished gun barrel. The artist used rough, sketchy lines to show the messy, industrial space, with shadows and smudges adding texture. The title hints this is about making a gun from molten metal. The artist’s quick, loose strokes make it feel like a snapshot of real work, not a polished drawing. Want to know more? Check out lithography.
