Exterior Sand Blasting Chamber, 1935

Perkins Harnly

National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of an industrial interior room with various metal pipes and equipment. The room has metallic walls, floors, and ceiling with numerous rivets and panels. In the upper right corner, there is a central piece that includes a large, black abstract object resembling a helmet or mask with attached hoses, suspended and interconnected with sturdy metal pipes. A network of black tubes and cables interconnects across the walls, connecting to various securely fixed metallic valves and gauges. The floor consists of grating panels with a geometric rectangular design, parallel to a flat bench-like structure made from metal tubing. A light source on the left casts a complex shadow pattern over the walls. The door on the right edge of the room appears closed and has a metal handle. This scene conveys a sense of functionality and engineering with mechanical precision. The painting is in the style of Charles Sheeler, known for his precisionist depictions of industrial and mechanical subjects.