Who painted English War Work: Cutting and Turning a Big Gun?

English War Work: Cutting and Turning a Big Gun was painted by Joseph Pennell in 1916.

Where can I see English War Work: Cutting and Turning a Big Gun?

English War Work: Cutting and Turning a Big Gun is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

Artwork

English War Work: Cutting and Turning a Big Gun

Joseph Pennell , 1916

English War Work: Cutting and Turning a Big Gun is a print by Joseph Pennell. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

It’s not smooth—it’s rough and full of texture, like a quick note jotted down while watching the work happen.

This sketch shows a big gun being made in a factory. Workers and machines fill the space, with steam pipes and metal parts everywhere. The artist used quick, sketchy lines to show the chaos and energy of the scene.

The drawing looks like it was made fast, with lots of movement and detail packed in. It’s not smooth—it’s rough and full of texture, like a quick note jotted down while watching the work happen.

Next, check out Joseph Pennell (American, 1857–1926) to see more of his fast, detailed sketches.

Overview

Created in 1916, *English War Work: Cutting and Turning a Big Gun* is a print by American artist Joseph Pennell. The image records a wartime factory scene, depicting the manufacture of a large artillery piece during the First World War. It is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The composition concentrates on the bustling interior of an armaments workshop, where laborers and machinery cooperate to shape and assemble a massive gun. The dense arrangement of steam pipes, metal components and workers conveys the industrial scale and urgency of wartime production.

Technique & Style

Pennell employed rapid, sketch‑like lines and a textured surface to capture movement and the chaotic energy of the factory floor. The print’s rough handling and dense detail reflect his preference for on‑site observation and a desire to convey the immediacy of industrial labor.

History & Provenance

Joseph Pennell, an American draftsman, etcher, lithographer and illustrator, produced the work while residing in Europe during the war years. The print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings as part of its early‑20th‑century American print collection.

Context

Pennell’s career was marked by a focus on industrial and architectural subjects, a direction shaped by his early association with James McNeill Whistler. His collaboration with his wife, writer Elizabeth Robins, on art‑related publications further contextualizes his engagement with contemporary cultural discourse.