Street Scene, NYC c. 1932

John Marin's "Street Scene, NYC" is a flurry of graphite and crayon on paper, like a visual jazz riff. It's all about capturing the feeling of the city, not a perfect picture. Look how the lines vibrate, barely containing the energy. The strokes are quick, light, and broken, giving everything a sense of movement. It's like Marin is trying to catch the city's rhythm before it disappears. A dash of red crayon here and there adds a bit of punch, like a sudden horn blast in the urban symphony. There's a raw, direct quality to the marks. You can almost feel Marin's hand moving across the paper. It reminds me of the work of the Italian Futurists, who also tried to capture the speed and chaos of modern life. But Marin does it with a uniquely American sensibility – a bit rough around the edges, but full of life. It’s less about what we see and more about how we experience the world.