L'Abbatoire No. 1 (Slaughterhouse No. 1) 1949

Eldzier Cortor created “L'Abbatoire No. 1” as a color woodcut print. Cortor, deeply affected by the social realities facing African Americans, often portrayed themes of labor, industry, and urban life through a modernist lens. Here, Cortor doesn't shy away from depicting the brutal realities of the working class in an urban environment. The slaughterhouse setting is rendered in an expressive abstract manner, filled with tension and violence. The composition, with its sharp angles and obscured figures, evokes the chaotic and dehumanizing conditions of industrial labor. The image has been linked to questions of racial identity and the historical exploitation of Black bodies. By focusing on the slaughterhouse, Cortor invites us to think about how marginalized communities are often subjected to systemic forms of violence. He prompts the viewer to reflect on the emotional and psychological toll exacted by harsh conditions. The artwork becomes a space for contemplating the human cost of economic progress and the ongoing struggle for justice.