Am Kurfürstendamm 1910

Lesser Ury captures a street scene with oil on canvas, probably en plein air. The dominant shades are greys and browns, capturing the somber tones of the street, where marks emerge and shift through trial, error, and intuition. I sympathize with Ury here, thinking about what it might have been like to stand in the rain trying to capture the scene with quick brushstrokes. The paint is applied thinly, almost transparently in areas, creating a sense of light and reflection. Look how the wetness on the road mirrors the architecture. It's like a softened double vision, a ghostly rendition. What strikes me is the contrast between the dark carriage and the indistinct figures. The carriage is so solid, anchoring the scene. It's as if Ury wants to capture this moment in time, but also let the world drift and blur around the edges. In this way, the piece really embraces ambiguity and uncertainty.