By-Products Plants

Dark factory shapes rise against a deep blue night sky, their windows glowing with light, while white angular beams and small bursts of color cut through the composition, suggesting the energy of an industrial site. The painting, titled By-Products Plants, was made by Joseph Stella between 1923 and 1926 using oil on canvas, and it is held at the Art Institute of Chicago, having entered the collection as a gift given in memory of Esther Goldowsky. Stella, who was Italian-American, worked within the Futurism movement, bringing its interest in motion and modern structure into his depiction of industry. One detail worth noticing is how the sharp white beams slice across the dark silhouettes, creating a rhythm that contrasts with the softer glow emanating from the scattered windows.