New York Street Scene 1911

Jerome Myers made this New York Street Scene in 1931 with graphite on paper. What strikes me about this piece is the way Myers captures the energy of the city with such simple marks. It feels like a fleeting moment, sketched quickly on the spot. Look closely at the lamppost. It’s not just a static object; it’s alive with lines, almost vibrating against the backdrop of the buildings. The sketch lines are loose and free, but somehow they all come together to give you a sense of the scene and the people, even though there are only a few of them, and they're just blobs of graphite. I love the balance between detail and suggestion here. It reminds me a bit of some of Daumier's street scenes, the way he captured the everyday lives of people with such immediacy. Myers, like Daumier, shows us that art doesn’t always need to be polished and perfect. Sometimes, it’s the raw, unfinished quality that makes it so compelling.