Torchbearer c. 1935

"Torchbearer," a lithograph created by John Charles Haley in 1935, depicts a worker in a heavy industry setting. The worker's face is obscured by welding goggles and a helmet, emphasizing their role as a laborer within the industrial machine. The simplified, geometric forms of the figure and the industrial equipment contribute to a sense of Modernism. The composition draws the viewer's eye to the worker's powerful hand, holding a torch that symbolizes the worker's vital role in industrial production. The artwork, through its bold lines and simplified forms, celebrates labor and its significance in the modern world.