Brooklyn Bridge 1929

Ernest Fiene made this lithograph, *Brooklyn Bridge*, using shades of gray and charcoal to create a nocturnal scene, full of moody atmosphere. The bridge looms, an almost gothic cathedral of industry, and you can see the artist working with the push and pull of light and dark to give it volume and depth. I wonder, was he out there at night, sketching under the moonlight, feeling the vibrations of the city all around? There’s something about the way the cables are rendered, like so many lines drawn down the page that brings you into the experience of making the work. It reminds me of Piranesi’s etchings of imaginary prisons, or maybe a Joseph Stella painting, both artists drawn to the epic scale and drama of architecture. Fiene uses the stark contrast to give the bridge this looming quality, but then he softens it with these two figures walking hand-in-hand, a tender gesture that humanizes the whole scene. Like, “we built this!” Artists are always in conversation, borrowing and riffing on ideas, finding new ways to express timeless themes.