Grote frictiepers 1932 - 1933

This photograph, *Grote frictiepers*, of indeterminate date, was created by an anonymous artist. The stark monochrome is like stepping back in time, isn't it? I imagine the photographer setting up their equipment, the light just so, to capture this industrial leviathan. What was it like to work with a machine like this? Dangerous, loud, and probably pretty grueling. The texture of the metal is palpable, cold and hard, yet showing signs of wear. Think about the weight, the force concentrated in that single point, pressing, shaping, transforming. You can almost feel the vibrations in the ground, the rhythmic pulse of industry. This image reminds me of the Bechers, Bernd and Hilla, who photographed industrial structures with such cool detachment, elevating the functional to art. What's the story behind this machine? Who built it, and what did it make? These are the questions that come to my mind.