Hammer Head 1938

Clarence Secor made this watercolor, titled "Hammer Head," in 1939. Secor was deeply involved in the American art scene, particularly during a time of significant social and economic upheaval in the United States. The choice to depict a hammer head invites a conversation about labor, industry, and the working class. Secor’s meticulous rendering transforms a simple tool into an object worthy of contemplation. The hammer, traditionally a symbol of physical labor, is here rendered in a delicate medium, suggesting a certain tension between the act of creation and the subject matter. The worn texture speaks to the countless hours of labor performed, and perhaps to the obsolescence of manual labor in an increasingly mechanized society. The image also resonates with the identities and histories of those who wielded such tools. The hammer is not just an instrument but a silent witness to human effort, perseverance, and the dignity of work.