Untitled (New York Harbor Scene) 1931

Edna Perkins made this print of New York Harbor, probably sometime in the 1930s. It's all cool grays, rendered in careful, crisp strokes, the kind you get from a well-sharpened pencil, or maybe a charcoal stick. I imagine Perkins standing on the shore, squinting at the buildings and boats, trying to capture the essence of this busy port city. What's amazing is how she uses a very limited palette to suggest the city's vastness and energy. Each line and shadow seems to be placed with intention, creating a composition that feels both solid and dreamlike. The buildings in the background are these blocky giants and the steam rises into the sky like thoughts from the unconscious. And it makes me think about other cityscapes and how each artist brings their unique lens to the urban landscape. Perkins offers a vision that's both precise and deeply felt, a testament to the power of observation and the magic of mark-making.