The Hammersmen, from "Song of the Broad Axe" 1924

Wharton Esherick made "The Hammersmen, from "Song of the Broad Axe"" using woodcut, and it feels both old and new at the same time. The high contrast really makes you look—it's all about process, isn’t it? The stark black and white create a dynamic tension, and the texture of the wood is really apparent in the final print. See those radial lines shooting out from the center? It’s almost like an explosion of energy, really physical. You can imagine Esherick carving those lines into the block, each one a deliberate, forceful gesture. It reminds me a little of some German Expressionist prints, like something by Kirchner, but with a folksier, more American feel. It's a piece that celebrates labor, craft, and the sheer physicality of making. It shows how art is always in conversation, borrowing and transforming ideas across time.