I Went Down that There Slide Faster than the Empire State Express 1910 - 1913

William James Glackens made this drawing, 'I Went Down that There Slide Faster than the Empire State Express,' with crayon and pencil, and you can really feel the speed in every mark. Look at the way those scribbled lines give shape to the slide, and the woman in mid-scream! It's all process, no hiding. The surface crackles with energy because of the pencil marks and the way the crayon is layered on top. It's like he's scratching into the paper, digging for the feeling of that wild ride. See how the strokes around the woman's figure are so frantic, they make her look like she might fly right off the page? Then, the crowd below is rendered with so much chaotic detail. Glackens was part of the Ashcan School, a group that loved capturing everyday life in all its gritty glory, a bit like Daumier in France, who also used drawing to capture the energy of the city. This piece isn't about perfection; it's about the messy, exhilarating experience of being alive.