Unloading Cargo at Corner of Brooklyn Navy Yard c. 1930

Edna Lawrence made this print, "Unloading Cargo at Corner of Brooklyn Navy Yard" using etching, a process with a long history and a direct connection to industrial production. To make an etching, the artist covers a metal plate with a waxy ground, then scratches an image into the ground with a sharp needle. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed metal, creating lines. Ink is applied to the plate, and then wiped away, remaining only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Consider how this process mimics the division of labor in a factory. Lawrence's skillful hand guides the needle, but the acid does the actual cutting. The press mechanically transfers the image, making it reproducible. Look closely at the stark lines, which capture the industrial setting, highlighting the relationship between labor, industry, and artistic production. It invites us to consider the social context of art.