Untitled (New York City) c. 1920s

Arthur Kales' "Untitled (New York City)" from the 1920s, captures the stark geometry of urban life. The photo, printed in a small, intimate format, uses a high contrast style to emphasize the interplay of light and shadow. The vanishing point of the narrow street emphasizes the city's scale while the obscured building in the background hints at the bustling life beyond the frame. Kales' work exemplifies the Pictorialist movement, where photographers employed artistic techniques like soft focus and tonal manipulation to elevate the medium to the level of fine art.