In the Lock, Miraflores

Painted in 1913, In the Lock, Miraflores is a superb example of artistic ingenuity documenting human determination. The building of the Panama Canal by the United States Government was an industrial accomplishment which contributed to the progress of mankind. Alson Clark was in New York when he was inspired by his friend, Henry Kitchell Webster, who had recently been to Panana and who urged Clark to make the journey and document the building of the Panama Canal through his painting.

In the Lock, Miraflores was painted on the Western side of the Panama Canal where ships are lowered 16 meters to sea level into the Bay of Panama at the Canal's Pacific end. The viewpoint is from inside the center of the lock, showing such massive construction that the multiple train tracks, huge cranes, and many working figures appear as tiny dots in the enormous industrial landscape. Clark employs his impressionistic technique with a rich palette and bravura brush to reveal bright light saturating the workplace. The lines of the train tracks, canal walls and cranes create a strong compositional design, which together emphasize the dramatic effect of the scene.