Unter den Linden 1922

Lesser Ury made this painting, Unter den Linden, with oil paints and a very loose hand. It’s the kind of painting that knows it’s a painting, not a window! The way Ury smears and scumbles the paint makes the city feel so wet you can almost smell the rain rising from the pavement. Look at the way the reflections of the carriages seem to dissolve into the street, it’s like he’s capturing a memory more than a scene. I keep coming back to the horses, they’re not exact, but they feel right; they give the painting its energy and movement. You could say this piece shares a certain mood with some of Whistler’s nocturnes, that same interest in atmosphere and the poetry of urban life. It’s a reminder that painting doesn't have to be about precision to be true.