Rainy Night, N.Y. near Queensboro Bridge 1939

Syd J. Browne made this monochrome print of a rainy night near Queensboro Bridge. The dark sky and rain-slicked streets are evoked with deep blacks and smudgy greys. You can almost feel the dampness seeping into your bones. Browne’s world is one of moody tones and muted contrasts. I like the way the etching feels both spontaneous and carefully observed. Look at the marks, the way Browne coaxes light from the darkness through tiny scratches and layered aquatint. Did he work from memory, or en plein air, trying to capture the fleeting effects of the weather? There's a kinship with other artists who explored urban life, like the Ashcan School painters. You sense the artist's sympathy for the city and its inhabitants, their quiet resilience amid the downpour. Artists are always looking, observing, and reinterpreting the world around them. Each piece builds upon the last, adding to a conversation that spans centuries.