Furman St. North 1929

Charles Wheeler Locke made this black and white print, Furman St. North, of a street scene with the Brooklyn Bridge looming in the background. I can just imagine him standing there, charcoal or pencil in hand, squinting up at the bridge. The marks are so dense and deliberate, building up atmosphere and depth. It’s like he’s trying to capture not just the scene, but the very feeling of being there, in that place, at that time. Look at how the lines get thicker and darker as they come closer to us, drawing us into the picture. He really wants us to feel the weight of the bridge, the grit of the street, and the shadows of the buildings, doesn’t he? This reminds me of Piranesi’s cityscapes and how he also captured that romantic, yet somehow melancholy feeling of urban life. It's a moody, atmospheric piece that captures the gritty, industrial feel of old New York. We can almost hear the clatter of the trains and the rumble of the city.