Dock Builders 

George Bellows painted "Dock Builders" in the early 20th century, capturing a slice of American labor. Bellows often depicted the working class, drawn to the energy of urban life. Here, we see men constructing a dock, their labor unfolding against the backdrop of water and sky. Horses are harnessed, and logs are piled high, suggesting the scale of the work. Bellows doesn't shy away from showing the physical demand of this job. There's a sense of collective effort, but also a focus on the individual worker. They're building something together. In this painting, Bellows highlights the raw energy and collective spirit inherent in the American workforce during a time of immense industrial growth. He shows us a narrative about those who shaped the nation's infrastructure. We are left to consider the hands that built our world, and the stories etched into the landscapes they transformed.