Toilers of the City Series No. 5 - Structural Iron c. 1914

Ralph Pearson created "Toilers of the City Series No. 5 - Structural Iron" using etching to render a scene dominated by the skeletal framework of a building under construction. The network of lines create a dense composition which conveys a sense of chaotic activity. The workers are dwarfed by the immensity of steel beams, which creates a visual metaphor for the industrial age, and the relationship between man and machine. Through the formal qualities of the artwork, Pearson references the rapidly changing urban landscape. Consider the way the artist's choice of etching emphasizes line and form over color. This focus not only highlights the structural integrity of the ironwork, but also reflects the broader modernist interest in the essential components of art. The composition suggests a world of progress and industry, yet it also conveys a sense of the isolation of the modern worker.