Subway Stairs 1926

John Sloan's 1926 etching "Subway Stairs" captures a snapshot of urban life in New York City. A young woman with her dress blowing in the wind, likely from the draft of a passing train, descends a set of subway stairs, her face obscured by her hat. The print's stark lines and detailed depiction of the crowds and the stairwell create a sense of bustling energy. Sloan's focus on everyday life, particularly the working class and the city's social dynamics, was a hallmark of his artistic style, known as "Ashcan School" realism.