The Winch

Sybil Andrews

1930 · Color linocut on Japanese paper · Drawings and Prints

Andrews here created a vibrant image of two workers at a winch, capturing a dynamic sense of rhythm between the figures and the larger composition. The tension and force of the men’s work appears to become visible and radiate outward, filling the surrounding space. The malleability of their bodies is pronounced as they bend, extend, and contort their forms over the tool. The winch’s crank echoes the shape of one worker’s arm, visually blending in to become part of his body. By contrast, Andrews rendered the toothed surface of the drum with greater precision, emphasizing the sharp grooves of its pronounced spokes. She expanded this concept with The New Cable, which shows a larger group of men working with a giant winch.

Artist

Sybil Andrews

Date

1930

Medium

Color linocut on Japanese paper

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Johanna and Leslie Garfield, 2005