Underpass 1941

"Underpass" (1941) is a black and white woodcut by William Harold Smith (1900–1982) that depicts an industrial scene. The artwork focuses on the intersection of a road with a train line, under which a narrow underpass is formed. Smith's stark, geometric style emphasizes the manmade structures of the scene and their impact on the landscape, capturing the industrial landscape of the early 20th century. The artwork’s inscription references the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a New Deal agency, which highlights the social and economic context of the piece.