Artwork
Taking the Big Gun Away
Taking the Big Gun Away is an ink print by Joseph Pennell. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Joseph Pennell’s 1916 lithograph *Taking the Big Gun Away* presents a stark industrial tableau. A colossal artillery piece, rendered with bold lines, dominates the composition as it is hauled from a rail platform. The work’s muted palette and hurried, smudged marks convey the urgency of a massive object in transit, emphasizing both scale and the mechanical environment surrounding it.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a moment of demobilization or wartime manufacturing, suggesting the removal of a large gun from service. By juxtaposing the massive weapon with a few solitary figures and the surrounding tracks, Pennell hints at the human element within industrial processes, underscoring the transition from war to peacetime activity.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the print relies on the medium’s capacity for tonal variation and swift gestural lines. Pennell’s handling of the stone surface yields a rough, almost sketch‑like texture, while the stark contrasts between dark smudges and lighter areas enhance the sense of weight and movement inherent in the scene.
History & Provenance
Pennell, an American draftsman trained under James Lambdin and Thomas Eakins, spent much of his career in Europe, where he produced a series of industrial and architectural works. *Taking the Big Gun Away* was created during the later stage of his output, reflecting his sustained interest in mechanized subjects and his collaboration with his wife, writer Elizabeth Robins, on related publications.
Context
The lithograph emerged amid World War I’s final years, a period marked by large‑scale armament production and subsequent demobilization. Pennell’s focus on the machinery of war aligns with contemporary artistic trends that documented industrial transformation, while his European residence placed him at the heart of the continent’s wartime infrastructure.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Joseph Pennell (July 4, 1857 – April 23, 1926) was an American draftsman, etcher, lithographer, and illustrator for books and magazines.
