Men of Gloucester 1941

Gordon Grant made this print, ‘Men of Gloucester’, and what strikes me is the sheer amount of labor etched into this plate, cross hatching away like it’s nobody’s business! Imagine the artist, leaning in, squinting, every tiny stroke adding to the somber mood. You can almost smell the sea air and feel the dampness of the docks. These men are captured in such a candid, unglamorous way. I imagine Grant wanted to show them at their task, hard-working and humble. The textures he creates with those etched lines—the rough-hewn planks of the boat, the heavy, wet coats of the men, the churning water—really put you there. This piece reminds me of other American artists of the time who wanted to represent scenes of everyday life. It’s about portraying the dignity and quiet beauty of ordinary people, maybe as a way to ennoble the working class. It's as though he thought: "I can do this too!" And he did.