LESLIE RAGAN (1897-1972) WE SHALL NOT FAIL / NEW YORK CENTRAL SYSTEM. 1943. 40x25 1/2 inches, 101 1/2x64 3/4 cm. Brett Lithographing Company, [New York.] Condition B: mat-staining in margins; toning in text; creases, staining, repaired tears and pin holes in margin. Mounted on board. A patriotic crossover poster produced during World War II by the New York Central Line to indicate their commitment to the war effort. Ragan, best known for his straightforward, graphic depictions of trains and prominent destinations along the New York Central Line system, takes his art one step further here and adds a patriotic element. It is a powerful, proud and evocative image of a New York Central Line Mohawk locomotive coursing through the night beneath the eternal vigilance of the Statue of Liberty. The connection between the symbol of America's Liberty and the commanding representation of America's physical and technological power is enhanced by the engine's headlamp and the Statue's torch, each cutting through the darkness. Zega 88.
