Inspection c. 1941

"Inspection," a woodcut created by Paul Landacre in 1941, captures a moment of labor in the American countryside. The print features a man, possibly a lineman, perched precariously atop a telephone pole, his leg outstretched and foot resting on the pole's surface, while another man lies on the ground, presumably exhausted, his hand shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun. The scene is rendered with Landacre's signature precision and detail, the stark lines of the woodcut highlighting the contrasts between the two figures and their surroundings. The realistic portrayal of rural life in the United States solidified Landacre's place as a prominent American wood engraver in the 20th century.