Tower and Embarcadero 1936

Otis Oldfield created “Tower and Embarcadero” using graphite on paper. Oldfield, born in 1890, lived through a period of immense change, including industrialization and the Great Depression, and like many artists of his time, he often depicted urban landscapes. The drawing captures a moment in the daily life of the working class during this era. A tower looms, smoke billows from industrial stacks, and the Embarcadero bustles with people and automobiles. The composition draws us in, but the muted tones evoke a sense of somberness, hinting at the grim realities of labor and urban existence. The figures here seem dwarfed by their surroundings, underscoring the individual's struggle within an industrialized society. Oldfield's "Tower and Embarcadero" is more than just a landscape; it's a reflection on how the identity of a place and its people are shaped by industry, labor, and the relentless march of progress. The drawing leaves us to consider our own place within the landscape of progress.