Lithograph #5 (Gas Factory) 1928

William Samuel Schwartz made this lithograph, called “Gas Factory,” using black ink on paper. The image is built from a system of strong, angular lines, and it’s a bit like staring into a crystal. The stark contrast between light and dark creates a powerful emotional punch. It's like Schwartz is playing with the idea of industry and nature, the hard edges of the buildings and the almost cartoonish puffs of smoke against the softer lines of the trees. Look closely at the lower part of the image; you can almost feel the pressure of the lithographic stone and how the ink has been pulled across the surface. The textures are like the landscape, furrowed and alive. It’s reminiscent of artists like Lyonel Feininger, who also played with fractured forms. But Schwartz brings his own voice to the conversation, one that resonates with the energy of a city on the brink of change, where beauty and industry clash. Art is an ongoing process of exchange and reinterpretation.