Anthracite Mine 1935

Esther Brock Bird made this lithograph, "Anthracite Mine," and you can see how she works the stone to create a symphony of grays. It's a testament to how much range you can get from just one color, really. I'm struck by the physicality of the piece, you know? It's there in the smokestacks, in the trains themselves – the way the lines seem to carve into the paper. But also, it has a quiet, almost reverent quality. Like the artist is trying to make sense of something monumental, something almost overwhelming. Look at the way the plumes of smoke curl and unfurl. The lines are soft, blurred almost, so you can feel the smokey haze. It reminds me of some of Charles Sheeler's industrial scenes, but with a softer touch. It's about industry, sure, but it's also about the human presence in a landscape that's being transformed, maybe even scarred. It is a space full of multiple stories.