The Travellers, Charleroi 1911

Joseph Pennell's 1911 lithograph, "The Travellers, Charleroi," depicts the industrial landscape of Charleroi, Belgium. The work captures the energy and scale of the city's steel mills with stark lines and dramatic shadows. Smoke billows from the chimneys, obscuring the sky and highlighting the harsh realities of industrial life. Pennell's use of drypoint and aquatint techniques creates a sense of gritty realism, highlighting the bustling activity of the city and the workers who power it. This is a powerful example of the "industrial art" genre that flourished in the early 20th century.