Francis William Wilkin

This Brooklyn-born engraver spent his days hunched over copper plates in a cluttered print shop, sleeves rolled up and ink staining his fingers. He carved everyday scenes, market stalls, ferry docks, a firefighter’s hose coiled tight, as if the city’s pulse ran through his wrists. Look at Print Collection and you’ll spot the same blocky streetlamps that still line Manhattan’s avenues; the way he layered ink made the steam from a vendor’s cart practically rise off the page.