Old Trinity & Wall Street 1886

Frank M. Gregory created this print of Old Trinity and Wall Street using etching, drypoint, and roulette. Gregory, born in 1848, lived through a period of massive transformation in the United States, including industrialization, urbanization, and waves of immigration. This image captures the juxtaposition of spiritual and financial life, a negotiation many Americans faced as they migrated to cities in search of economic opportunity. Note the towering spire of Trinity Church, a symbol of tradition and permanence, dwarfed by the burgeoning skyscrapers of Wall Street, which embodied the dynamism and ambition of the Gilded Age. The artist emphasizes this contrast through the print’s sharp detail and dramatic perspective, drawing the viewer's eye upwards. This tension is further emphasized in the figures populating the street: hurried figures on foot and horse drawn carriages. The inclusion of these figures suggests the emotional weight of navigating a society in transition. The print asks us to consider the values we prioritize in our own lives, and how we reconcile the material with the spiritual.