Warehouse Fire
Harry R. Rein American
Published by WPA
Not on view
Using woodcut’s expressive potential, Rein produced an image that distills an urban blaze to its essence. He made quick cuts in the printing block to describe the protective gear worn by the firemen, whom he has characterized as a series of near identical forms directing hoses at a burning warehouse. Deeper cuts were required to produce the strong white jets of water, and the grain of the block was utilized to convey billowing smoke. Figures gathered near a reflective pool demonstrate human fascination with fire’s destructive potential. A native New Yorker, Rein attended the Art Students League, then made prints for the Works Progress Administration during the Depression.
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