The Bridge, Sunday 1952

Prentiss Taylor made this lithograph, "The Bridge, Sunday," sometime in the middle of the 20th century. What strikes me is how Taylor uses the black and white medium to focus on the texture and form of the architecture. You can almost feel the grittiness of the brickwork and cobblestone beneath your feet. Take a look at the lower section of the image. See how the artist renders the cobblestone street with these rhythmic, repetitive marks. The detail here is amazing, but it is also the overall effect of this intense mark making which makes this a compelling image. The light plays across the uneven surface, highlighting each stone, drawing you into the scene. The artist has carefully considered the composition of the image and invites us to consider the rhythms and patterns inherent in urban landscapes. This work reminds me a little of Charles Sheeler, who had a similar interest in the forms and textures of the modern urban landscape. Like Sheeler, Taylor finds beauty in the everyday.