Loading Ice, Fulton Fish Market 1935 - 1940

Anthony Velonis made this print titled ‘Loading Ice, Fulton Fish Market’ using etching. The print shows workers busy loading blocks of ice at the Fulton Fish Market. You can see the delicate lines that define the buildings and the rigging of the ship; there’s a real sense of being right there, watching the action unfold. I can imagine Velonis, standing on the docks with his etching plate, trying to capture the hustle and bustle of the market. What would it have been like to try and capture the scene, all the while being aware of the smell of fish, and the general gritty sounds of the city? The composition is fascinating. The architectural forms of the building in the background stand in contrast to the organic shapes of the barrels and figures in the foreground. The lines are spare, but they convey so much detail and texture, especially in the rendering of the ship's mast and rigging. It makes me think about other artists who have documented urban life, like the Ashcan School painters, all those artists keen to capture an authentic image of New York. There's an exciting conversation going on between all these images through time.