Untitled (New York City Riverfront) 20th century

This is a woodcut print of the New York City Riverfront by H. Paulson Legg. The artist has carved a design into a block of wood, covering it with ink and pressing it onto paper, resulting in a striking black and white image. The bold lines and graphic quality of the print perfectly capture the dynamism of the riverfront. Notice how the dense, inky blacks create a strong sense of depth and contrast, emphasizing the towering skyscrapers and bustling activity on the water. Woodcut is a labor-intensive process, requiring both physical strength and precise control. The artist would have used specialized tools to carve away the wood, leaving only the desired image to be printed. This combination of skill and effort imbues the print with a sense of authenticity and handmade quality. Legg's choice of woodcut connects this modern urban scene to a long history of printmaking, a tradition that democratized image-making, moving it from the hands of a few to the broader public. This print reminds us that even in the age of mass production, the human touch remains essential.