The Metropolitan Tower on A Summer Evening 1914

Rachael Robinson Elmer made this print of The Metropolitan Tower, sometime in the early 20th century. It’s like a dream, this image, made using such an economical approach. It feels very thought out. It’s not trying to fool you, or anything. The artist has embraced the way colors can bleed and breathe. Look at how the orange of the clock face is picked up in the illuminated windows and the street lamps, all glowing with the same warmth. The brushstrokes are confident. A bit slapdash. Each mark captures a moment, like the wispy trees or the shadowy figures in the park below. Elmer reminds me a bit of Milton Avery in the way she simplifies forms. It’s as if she’s saying, "Here's what I see, and here's how I feel about it." It’s a fleeting moment, captured in ink, open to endless interpretations.