Brooklyn Bridge 1944

This is John Marin’s sketch of the Brooklyn Bridge. Executed with graphite on paper, its delicate lines capture a dynamic tension. The composition, framed within a rectangle drawn on the page, features the bridge's architectural lines juxtaposed against the more loosely rendered cityscape. Marin uses line to explore the structure of the bridge, abstracting its form and the urban environment into a series of interconnected lines. The bridge’s strong diagonal dominates the composition; behind it, the city is merely suggested. The sketch offers a skeletal view of the modern city, with an emphasis on its constructed environment. Marin’s approach is reminiscent of early 20th-century avant-garde movements, particularly Futurism, which sought to represent motion and dynamism. The drawing becomes more than just a representation; it’s an exploration of form and space. It invites us to consider how modern structures alter our perception of space, and to question the very act of representation.