Artwork
Mid-day, General Electric Works, Berlin
Mid-day, General Electric Works, Berlin is an ink print by Joseph Pennell. It dates from 1921 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Joseph Pennell’s 1921 lithograph titled *Mid‑day, General Electric Works, Berlin* captures a bustling industrial complex in the German capital. Rendered in monochrome, the print presents a broad, flat‑topped façade punctuated by rows of windows and doors, with pedestrians moving along the street foreground.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the General Electric factory, a symbol of early‑20th‑century industrial expansion. By situating figures at the entrance and along the thoroughfare, Pennell underscores the interplay between labor, architecture, and the rhythm of daily work life at midday.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the work employs a precise, realistic approach. Pennell manipulates a palette of grays and deep blacks to model depth, emphasizing the building’s texture and the atmospheric weight of its massive structure. The linear clarity of the façade reflects his training in drawing and his affinity for detailed urban scenes.
History & Provenance
Pennell, an American artist trained under James Lambdin and Thomas Eakins, spent much of his career in Europe documenting industrial sites. Influenced by James McNeill Whistler, he produced this print during a period of heightened interest in modern factories, before returning to the United States where his prints were widely circulated.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joseph Pennell (July 4, 1857 – April 23, 1926) was an American draftsman, etcher, lithographer, and illustrator for books and magazines.
