El Camion 

Waldemar Sjolander created this etching titled "El Camion," or "The Truck," depicting a crowded bus, likely in Mexico, sometime in the mid-20th century. Sjolander worked primarily in printmaking, often using techniques such as etching to explore themes of daily life and social commentary. In this image, the jostling passengers and the prominent rooster suggest the vibrancy and chaos of Mexican society. The rooster itself can be seen as a symbol of Mexican identity and machismo. Mexico in the mid-20th century was undergoing rapid industrialization and urbanization. The crowded bus becomes a metaphor for the social changes and challenges of this period. Images such as this, disseminated through printmaking, could be understood as social critiques. To fully understand the image, one could explore sources on the history of Mexican transportation, the symbolism of the rooster in Mexican culture, and Sjolander's other artworks. By understanding these contexts, we are better able to appreciate the social commentary embedded within the artwork.