Elevated Platform c. 20th century

Nan Lurie made this evocative etching, “Elevated Platform,” sometime in the mid-20th century. Just imagine her, plate in hand, acid etching away at the metal, conjuring a scene from the New York subway. The dense cross-hatching that defines the elevated platform almost feels like you can touch it. It creates such atmosphere! You can almost hear the rumble of the approaching train. The composition is very dramatic, with those stark contrasts between light and dark adding to the sense of urban grittiness and melancholy. I'm drawn to the way she's captured the everyday, the mundane of city life, and transformed it into something poetic. She has an unusual approach to shading, with a dense network of lines that bring out the texture of the architecture. It reminds me a little of Piranesi's architectural prints, in the way she creates a sense of depth and space. Looking at this piece, I’m reminded that artists borrow from one another across time.