Pencil signed and dated 'Benton Spruance 36' in the margin bottom left; also pencil titled in the margin bottom center, and inscribed 'Ed 30' in the margin bottom left, lithograph on paper
Image size: 8 7/8 x 14 3/8 in. (22.5 x 36.5cm)
Sheet size: 12 1/2 x 17 3/4 in. (31.8 x 45.1cm)
Intended edition of 35, about 30 produced. Printed by Cuno.
[Fine/Looney 132]

Provenance

Private Collection, New York.

Note

Traffic Control is one of Benton Spruance's most famous, and rarest, graphic works. Arguably, it is also one of Spruance’s finest accomplishment in print making. Although the subject may appear mundane at first (Sprance explored the theme of car congestion in other works), the etching brillantly captures the modernity associated with the automobile via a series of sharp, elongated lines meant to represent the cars in motion. Aside from their velocity, the artist also points at their inner danger as such high-speed vehicles can often lead to crashes - a tragic ending which fascinated the artist, who depicted it at length throughout his career.