Making Pig-Iron 1916

Joseph Pennell's "Making Pig-Iron" (1916) is a lithograph capturing the industrial landscape of a steel mill. The artwork showcases a dramatic perspective, looking down on a platform within the mill. The foreground is dominated by the massive machinery, rendered with meticulous detail, while the background is filled with smoke and the hazy outlines of other structures, hinting at the vastness of the industrial complex. The figures in the scene, dwarfed by the scale of the machinery, emphasize the power and dominance of industry in the early 20th century. Pennell's work highlights the dynamism and energy of industrial processes, showcasing the grit and grandeur of the American industrial revolution.