Rockefeller Plaza Skating c. 1936 - 1939

Effim H. Sherman created this drypoint etching, "Rockefeller Plaza Skating." The figures in the image present a playful scene, their winter attire evoking the fashions of their time. Yet, even here, echoes of the past resonate, the simple hats and bundled forms remind one of Bruegel’s winter scenes, where figures traverse icy landscapes. This motif appears throughout art history, symbolizing communal life adapting to the trials of winter. One skater has fallen. He's lying on the ice. The body, prone and off-balance, mirrors the "fall of man" as seen in Renaissance art. While the skater recovers with, hopefully, no more than a bruised ego, the image is a reminder of human vulnerability. This is the power of images. They engage viewers on a subconscious level, stirring primordial anxieties and reminding us of our shared human condition. These symbols evolve, reflecting our collective memory and fears. The image of falling—be it from grace or simply onto the ice—remains a potent reminder of our fragility. It resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings, connecting us to the past in unexpected ways.