Rolling Power

Rolling Power (Sheeler) - San Francisco  2018

Rolling Power (Sheeler - Detail) - San Francisco  2018

Precisionist Catalog (1960s) - Marin County  2018

Back in the 1960's the Los Angeles County Museum of Art held an exhibit called "The Precisionist  View in American Art." I remember visiting the show multiple times, being quite intrigued by the images on view. I was particularly struck by the art of Charles Sheeler, who was both a photographer and painter.

Most of all, I was mesmerized by his 1939 painting of a locomotive titled "Rolling Power." Of course, I was a great train enthusiast, so no wonder I liked it.

How nice, therefore, to be able to see it once again, this time in the De Young Museum in San Francisco, where a show called "Cult of the Machine" has been running (will be there through August.)

Interesting frame . . . not what I would have picked, perhaps. The steam showing in the lower right hand corner is a nice touch.

Quite possibly I had this painting in mind when I photographed that Union Pacific locomotive (diesel, alas) in Utah in 2016.

Union Pacific (Milford) - Utah  2016