Miners Drink Whiskey, Act III 1940

Herbert Silberman made "Miners Drink Whiskey, Act III" in 1940 and its full of atmosphere. I’m wondering if he was drinking whiskey when he made it? I mean, something potent has clearly fueled this strange scene. The graphite on the paper has a life of its own, as it builds a world that feels both gritty and surreal. There's a lone figure playing an accordion, three caskets, a mine shaft, all rendered in somber tones. It's like a dream, or a memory, where things are familiar but slightly off-kilter. Silberman’s touch is so delicate, yet so firm. I imagine him, in his studio, carefully layering the graphite, allowing the image to emerge slowly, like a photograph developing in a darkroom. It kind of reminds me of those WPA artists who were documenting American life during the Depression, but with a twist of dark humor. You can feel the artist wrestling with the weight of life, and maybe finding a little bit of music in the darkness.