Untitled (Bridge over Stream) 1950

Martyl Langsdorf created this pen and ink drawing, "Untitled (Bridge over Stream)", using stark black lines to depict a bridge spanning a waterway. Langsdorf's style is reminiscent of American modernism, a period in which artists often responded to industrialization and urbanization. The bridge, a symbol of connection and progress, is rendered with an almost brutal simplicity. This may reflect a commentary on the ambivalence towards progress following the Second World War. To fully understand Langsdorf's work, one must consider the social context in which she operated. Her husband, Alexander Langsdorf, worked on the Manhattan Project. Martyl is best known for creating the "doomsday clock" for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a potent symbol of Cold War anxiety. Art historians can use archival materials, biographical research, and period publications to interpret her work. The meaning of art is always contingent on its historical and cultural setting.