Shell Factory, No.II 1917

Editor: So, this is Joseph Pennell’s “Shell Factory, No. II,” an etching from 1917. The scene feels very bleak and industrial. There are rows and rows of shells... it almost has the feeling of a landscape. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, a landscape alright—a landscape of war, etched not on a peaceful meadow but onto our collective conscience. I'm drawn to the starkness. It reminds me of a Piranesi prison drawing, except instead of imagined bars, we have actual instruments of destruction taking shape. There’s a tension, isn't there? Editor: Absolutely, it's chilling. You said instruments "taking shape..." Can you tell me more about the composition of the elements of war? Curator: It feels almost celebratory doesn’t it? How ironic, right? In this way it evokes militarism itself, making mass destruction into mass entertainment! The shells form almost a triumphal arch. Editor: That’s a really interesting point; I was really caught up on the human cost and didn’t consider that at all. Are there any little known details? Curator: Well, Pennell was deeply affected by the war, though he initially embraced the industrial war effort. He was, at first, mesmerized by the scale and precision but seemed later disillusioned. "Shell Factory No. II," it could be argued, reflects this conflict of emotions... Can't you almost feel the din? Editor: I see it so differently now. Thanks so much! Curator: It was a pleasure. Art always mirrors back our best, and, our worst, doesn’t it?