Untitled (Cityscape) 

Here we see a pencil drawing of a cityscape by John Marin. The angular buildings jut upwards, and the image is anchored by what appears to be a boat in the foreground. The cityscape, throughout history, is laden with meaning. From ancient maps to Piranesi's etchings, cities evoke ideas of progress, chaos, and community. Consider the Tower of Babel, a symbol of human ambition and hubris, echoed in the skyscrapers that Marin sketches. Note how the drawing's sketch-like quality mirrors the fleeting nature of modern life. It's a potent symbol of the modern urban experience, a visual manifestation of the anxieties and exhilarations of progress. Just as Renaissance artists looked to classical antiquity, Marin grapples with the urban landscape. The recurring architectural motif connects us to a collective past, reminding us that even in modernity, we are bound by history.