Building the Battleship 1917

Joseph Pennell created "Building the Battleship" using lithographic crayon and ink. The composition reveals a vessel under construction amidst scaffolding, cranes, and silhouetted workers, all rendered in a monochromatic palette of grey and black. The textural richness achieved through varied strokes gives the impression of a dense, industrial landscape, evoking a sense of awe mixed with the gritty reality of labor. The artwork's meaning lies in its representation of modernity. Pennell captures the colossal scale and complex network of industrialization. The composition emphasizes a contrast between the organic shape of the ship and the geometric lines of the surrounding architecture. This reflects the early 20th-century's fascination with technology and its transformative impact on society. Notice how the artist challenges fixed meanings, representing both the triumph of human engineering and the alienation inherent in such monumental endeavors. This duality underscores the artwork's engagement with broader philosophical questions about progress, power, and the human condition.