Torso in Metal from 'The Rock Drill' was originally created by sculptor Jacob Epstein in 1913-14. Initially, he placed a plaster version of the sculpture you see here on top of a pneumatic drill used for drilling into rock. Epstein said he was motivated to create the sculpture because of a love of machinery. At the time, several artists were producing art about what they considered to be symbols of the modern age, like speed, technology and machinery. At one stage, Epstein even considered adding a motor to make the drill move.

After the destruction of World War I, Epstein changed the figure dramatically. He stated 'I lost my interest in machinery'. He discarded the drill, cut the figure down to half its original size and changed its arms. He then cast this new form in bronze. These changes made the figure seem much less powerful and menacing. Instead of celebrating modern life, this more vulnerable version appears more like a victim of the violence of modern life.