Quarter of Nine - Saturday's Children 1929

Martin Lewis pulled this print, Quarter of Nine - Saturday's Children, from a plate, using ink and paper, and a whole lot of observation. Look at the way those figures are caught in this fleeting moment. They're walking into the future, but they're also shadows of the past. Imagine Lewis, hunched over his plate, etching those tiny lines, building up the atmosphere, the feeling of the city breathing. What do you think he felt when he created this? Did he want to show the world the frenetic energy of the city? Was he critical of the urban environment? The whole scene feels so immediate, so real. The inking almost vibrates, doesn't it? A little like Hopper, but with a softer touch. It's like he's inviting you to step right into that street scene, and share the moment with the Saturday's children. Maybe artists like Lewis remind us that even in the most ordinary scenes, there's always something extraordinary waiting to be discovered.