The El 1938

Leonard Pytlak created this lithograph called 'The El', referring to 'elevated' train lines, most likely in New York. The image offers a glimpse into the daily lives of ordinary city dwellers. The El, a symbol of modernity and progress, looms in the background, while the foreground is filled with anonymous figures hurrying through a bustling urban scene. What details can we gather about the city at the time? Through their clothing and activity, it is clear these people are workers, on their way to, or home from, work. The elevated train made daily life possible for thousands of people, yet was also a source of constant noise and pollution. Pytlak’s print, typical of the social realist movement, captures this tension between progress and the lived experience of ordinary people. To understand this work better, we could look into the history of urban development, elevated train lines, and the social realist art movement of the time. Understanding the context of the artwork helps us to see it not just as a pretty picture, but as a reflection of the social conditions that shaped its creation.