Engine Aloft c. 1938

James E. Allen made this black and white print, Engine Aloft, using lithographic crayon to create a scene that feels both epic and intimate. Can you imagine Allen hunched over the lithographic stone, building up layer upon layer of marks, coaxing out the light and shadow? I get the sense that Allen was fascinated by industry, by the sheer scale of these machines and the almost ant-like figures of the workers below. There's something about the way he renders the texture of the metal, the density of the engine, that speaks to a deep appreciation for materials and process. The composition is so dynamic, the engine hangs suspended in mid-air as if dancing. It makes you think about all the other artists who have found beauty and inspiration in the everyday, from Charles Sheeler's industrial landscapes to Diego Rivera's murals of factory workers. Art is like this ongoing conversation, a constant back-and-forth across time.