- Title: S-Curve
-
Author: James E. Allen
- Date: 1937
- Condition: Very good - uniform toning with some old framing hinges on verso
- Inches: 11 3/4 x 15 [Image]
- Centimeters: 29.84 x 38.10 [Image]
- Product ID: 308406
Extremely Rare Pipeline Imagery from the 20th Century
James E. Allen, a renowned illustrator of the 20th century, was twice entrusted with the task of creating visually appealing and informative illustrations for advertisements of the United States Pipe and Foundry Company, a determined manufacturer of pipes and other cast iron products since 1899. The company, still thriving today under the name US Pipe, continues to rely on Allen's iconic illustrations to convey its message of strength, durability, and reliability. The commissions were ...
• 12 lithographs of Cast Iron Pipe Workers (1937/38)
• 4 Lithographs of the four seasons, with scenes of the pipe laying industry (1939)
The ads were featured in trade journals with the intention of selling US Pipe technology and goods to planners and builders. Consequently, the pipework in Allen’s lithographs demonstrated common scenarios that would be recognizable to members of the industry.
S-Curve
This print shows a bell-and-spigot lead joint distribution line for fresh water or a gravity sewer. The pipe can be bent and curved to follow the terrain, which makes it ideal for complex installations. The gentle curve in the back could be created by deflecting the joints, and the tighter turn in the front would be made with segments of curved pipe. The large concrete structure in the back is too large for just stabilization; it could be a holding tank of some sort to provide a gravity feed.
Ad copy: This pipeline was planned for permanence and therefore it is built with cast iron pipe, a material known for long life in underground service. What if the first cost is higher in some cases! Figured against the complete cost of an installation, the extra investment for cast iron pipe is small indeed. Figured against years of service it is soon liquidated, but the dividends in extra service continue for generations.
About James Allen
James Edmund Allen (1894-1964) was an American illustrator, printmaker, and painter. He is best known for his lithographs and etchings of industrial workers and scenes, which he created in the 1930s. Allen's work is notable for its realism and attention to detail, as well as its sympathetic portrayal of the working class. Allen was born in Louisiana, Missouri, in 1894. He studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Students League of New York. In 1925, he rented a studio in Paris from artist John Storrs, where he began to experiment with lithographs and etchings. He returned to the United States later that same year and settled in New York City.
Allen's early work focused on illustrating magazines and books. In the early 1930s, he began to create lithographs and etchings of industrial workers and scenes. He was drawn to the subject matter by the beauty and drama of the industrial landscape, and by the dignity and strength of the workers. Allen's industrial work is characterized by its realism and attention to detail. He often worked directly from life, and his prints are notable for their accurate depiction of machines, tools, and the human body. Allen's work is also notable for its sympathetic portrayal of the working class. He saw the workers as heroes, and his prints celebrate their strength, skill, and determination.
Allen's industrial work was well received by critics and the public alike. He exhibited his work at major galleries and museums throughout the United States, and his prints were published in leading magazines and newspapers.
Allen died in Larchmont, New York, in 1964. He is considered one of the most important American printmakers of the 20th century. His work is held in the collections of major museums throughout the United States, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery of Art and others.
About U.S. Pipe & Foundry
U.S. Pipe is a company that has been providing high-quality water and wastewater products for over 120 years. They offer a wide range of products, including ductile iron pipe, restrained joint pipe, fabrication, gaskets, and fittings. U.S. Pipe is committed to supporting local governments, municipalities, water departments, and businesses all over the world.
Their signature push-on joint pipe, TYTON Joint pipe, has been installed over 1 billion feet worldwide. This is enough to go around the world over 7 times!
Reference
https://exhibits.stanford.edu/james-e-allen/feature/u-s-pipe-foundry-1937-39