Eric Edward Esper Figurative Paintings

March 25th, 1911, Greenwich village, Manhattan, New York. The epitome of sweatshop labor, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was a harsh and grueling workplace. During a time of large movements for workers, women rights, and talks of labor unions, the owners of the factory were overly strict and frugal. The approximately 500 employees working that day on the 8th, 9th, and 10th floor of the Asch Building were working in rows of sewing machines and flammable materials with all exit doors locked. Just before quitting time a fire started on the 8th floor, probably from a cigarette, spread rapidly and consumed most of the top 3 floors. It was difficult for the panicked employees to escape because the stairwell doors were locked, the elevators saved many people’s lives until they became inoperable, and the rear fire escape eventually became overloaded and collapsed. Some resorted to jumping from the windows. In the aftermath 146 people perished and 78 were injured, mostly women. Eric Edward Esper The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of March 25, 1911 oil on canvas 32h x 24w in 81.28h x 60.96w cm EEE017 Eric Edward Esper After obtaining my BFA in Illustration from Northern Michigan...

Also known as the Great Northern Railway disaster and Americas deadliest avalanche. After days of traveling west and passing through the 2.6 mile Cascade Tunnel, the GNR passenger train was trapped by snow at the tiny town of Wellington Washington in the Cascade Mountains. For 6 days the passengers survived on the train while railmen worked dauntlessly through continuous avalanches to clear the tracks ahead towards the next town. Fearful of the snow looming over them on the mountain above, the passengers were assured that they were safest where they were. The weather was severe and eventually an avalanche swept the GNR passenger train and a mail train off the tracks towards the river below, resulting in 96 deaths and 23 surviving injured. Eric Edward Esper Wellington, Washington Avalanche of March 1, 1910 oil on canvas 38h x 26w in 96.52h x 66.04w cm EEE018 Eric Edward Esper After obtaining my BFA in Illustration from Northern Michigan...

Last Voyage of the Lady Elgin On Saturday, September 8, 1860 at 2:30 a.m., the sidewheel steamship was full of Milwaukee’s Union Guard and civilians returni...