Manhattan Vista 1934

Armin Landeck made this etching, Manhattan Vista, sometime in the twentieth century. Look at the way the image is built, layer by layer, with the buildings, using a monochrome palette. This is a process of accumulating tiny marks, each one crucial in constructing the whole. Think about that rooftop, with its little house casting a shadow. It's such a small thing, but it adds so much depth and intrigue to the scene. The texture is really interesting too, isn't it? The artist isn't trying to hide the physicality of the medium. This isn't about hiding the work; it's about showing it. It reminds me a little of the city itself, with all its layers of history and construction on display. It makes me think of other artists who were exploring similar themes of urban life and modernity like the precisionists Charles Sheeler or Charles Demuth. It's a reminder that art is always in conversation with itself, building on what came before while also pushing in new directions.