Street Scene, Carriages 

John Marin, created this watercolor, entitled "Street Scene, Carriages". Marin, born in 1870, lived through a period of intense industrial expansion and social change in the United States, and this work seems to capture the dynamism of early 20th-century urban life. The artwork depicts a bustling street scene, with carriages and figures rendered in swift, energetic strokes. The architecture looms in the background, sketched with a nervous intensity that almost makes the buildings seem alive. Marin was interested in capturing the feeling of the city, not just its appearance, and this work embodies that sentiment perfectly. It's interesting to consider how Marin, as a white male artist, experienced and portrayed the burgeoning metropolis. Whose stories are told and whose are left out of this picture? The artwork invites us to reflect on the layered histories of urban spaces and the diverse experiences of those who inhabit them. It's a snapshot of a moment in time, but also a prompt to think about the ongoing evolution of our cities and societies.