Untitled

Untitled

John Marin

1930

ink

From the collection of Museum of Modern Art

About this work

This sketch shows a busy city street packed with tall buildings. The structures are drawn in sharp, angular lines—some look like skyscrapers, others like older brick towers. A train track cuts across the middle, with a bridge or platform above it. People are tiny figures down below, barely visible. The whole scene feels cramped and dynamic, like the city is buzzing. Notice how the artist used quick, scratchy lines instead of smooth shading. That’s the etching technique—ink pressed into metal plates to create texture. It gives the buildings an almost sketchy, unfinished look. If you like this style, check out more of the artist’s etchings.

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