West 48th Street 

Richard Lindner created this painting, titled "West 48th Street," at some point during his career as a New York-based artist. The work presents a figure, likely a woman, stylized with sharp geometric forms and bold, artificial colors. Consider Lindner's biography: as a Jewish man who fled Nazi Germany, his work offers a commentary on the alienation of modern urban life, filtered through the lens of his own experience. He arrived in New York City in 1941. The city, with its frenetic energy, diverse population, and commercialism, became a recurring motif in his art. The woman's exaggerated features and theatrical costume might be seen as critiques of the performative aspects of identity. Is this woman a mannequin, a sex worker, or a high-society lady? Perhaps, Lindner implies that in the modern city, the boundaries between these categories become blurred. Understanding the socio-political context of an artwork, such as this, requires careful research using archival materials, contemporary criticism, and biographical information about the artist.