Untitled (George Washington Bridge) 1946

Arthur H. Lindberg created this etching of the George Washington Bridge, most likely in 1946, using fine, detailed lines. I imagine Lindberg carefully controlling each stroke, trying to make it just right. The bridge looms large, yet, it is treated almost like lace. The artist has paid equal attention to the buzzing city below; to the parkway curves, the clustered trees, even the tiny boat on the water. The whole composition is a study in contrasts – the rigid geometry of the bridge versus the organic forms of nature. And the density of the marks against the openness of the sky. There’s a beautiful, quiet energy here; a sense of balance, a stillness. It reminds me of Whistler’s etchings of the Thames – both artists capturing the industrial landscape with a delicate touch. It is a reminder that art often comes from looking closely at our everyday surroundings and finding something new in the familiar.