France at Her Furnaces 1917

"France at Her Furnaces" is a 1917 watercolor by James McBey, depicting a group of workers pulling a large metal rod through a furnace. This powerful image, created during World War I, highlights the vital role of French industrial workers in supporting the war effort. McBey's loose, gestural style, combined with his use of muted tones, creates a sense of urgency and dynamism, capturing the heat and intensity of the scene. The partially obscured figures of the workers, along with the hazy background, emphasize the monumental nature of their task. This piece is a significant example of McBey's war art, which aimed to document the experiences of those on the home front.