Who painted Making War Locomotives?

Making War Locomotives was painted by Joseph Pennell in 1917.

Where can I see Making War Locomotives?

Making War Locomotives is held by National Gallery of Art.

Can I buy a print of Making War Locomotives?

Museum-quality prints of Making War Locomotives are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Making War Locomotives

Joseph Pennell , 1917

Making War Locomotives is an ink print by Joseph Pennell. It dates from 1917 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Joseph Pennell’s 1917 lithograph *Making War Locomotives* records a bustling wartime factory where a massive locomotive is being assembled. The composition is dominated by the skeletal structure of the engine, surrounded by workers, machinery, and carts drawn by horses. Exposed steel beams and a hanging hook emphasize the raw, unfinished nature of industrial production during the First World War.

Subject & Meaning

By highlighting the gritty environment, Pennell underscores the human and material labor behind the conflict’s infrastructure.

The print captures the intensity of wartime manufacturing, foregrounding the locomotive as a symbol of military logistics. Laborers in work overalls attend to the machinery, while the chaotic arrangement of tools and half‑finished parts conveys the urgency and scale of the war effort. By highlighting the gritty environment, Pennell underscores the human and material labor behind the conflict’s infrastructure.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithography, the work relies on bold line work and stark contrasts of light and shadow to render the factory’s metallic surfaces and smoky atmosphere. Pennell’s background in drafting and etching informs the precise architectural rendering, while his affinity for industrial subjects, shaped by mentors such as Thomas Eakins and James McNeill Whistler, yields a composition that balances documentary detail with expressive vigor.

History & Provenance

Pennell, an American-born draftsman who spent much of his career in Europe, produced the lithograph amid the heightened demand for war‑related imagery in 1917. The piece reflects his long‑standing interest in industrial scenes, a theme he explored throughout his oeuvre. It has been held in several public collections, illustrating the artist’s reputation as a chronicler of early twentieth‑century manufacturing.