The Hammersmen, from "Song of the Broad Axe" 1924

Wharton Esherick made this bold black and white wood engraving, "The Hammersmen," to illustrate Walt Whitman's poem, "Song of the Broad Axe." The image is stark, with strong contrasts of black and white, like a graphic novel, the stark black emphasizing the raw power of the workers. I imagine Esherick, sleeves rolled up, meticulously carving into the wood, guided by the rhythm of the poem, thinking of Whitman's celebration of labor and the human spirit. That burst of lines around the right figure—it's like the energy of the hammer striking, the flower of labor blooming. It reminds me of those early 20th-century artists who were trying to capture the speed and dynamism of modern life. I am drawn to the sense of human endeavor. It makes me think about all the artists, past and present, who are drawn to the beauty and struggle of everyday life.