Pittsburgh - The Converter at Night 1934

Louise Boyer made this etching of Pittsburgh at night. The image is full of these delicate, almost trembling lines, a symphony of marks that build into a powerful, somber scene. I imagine Boyer, a lone figure in the night, meticulously working the plate, lost in the process. What was it like to stand there and feel the weight of industry pressing down? I think about the smoke and the way it both obscures and defines the sky, and all those tiny flicks of light that hint at something grand. The surface shimmers, and the river becomes a mirror, doubling the scene and deepening the mystery. It's a dark vision, but I think that it’s got something human about it, too. There are these little ships adrift in the water. A lone ship perhaps signals the artist's journey, or just a longing for some kind of peace amid all that clamor. Artists are always talking to each other across time. Even now, I feel like Boyer is whispering something in my ear, urging me to find the beauty and the dread in the world.