New York Buildings c. 1913 - 1914

This is a black and white etching by Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt, titled “New York Buildings.” I can imagine him, Bror, hunched over a copper plate, incising lines with focused precision. It's kind of romantic to think about, like a dance between the hand and the material. Look at the way he’s rendered these skyscrapers; they're looming and solid, but there's a delicacy to the lines. It's like he's trying to capture the essence of New York, not just its physical appearance. The light seems to be reflected on every building. This reminds me of Piranesi, who was able to find the monumentality of the ancient city. I wonder if Nordfeldt was thinking about him when he was making this etching, and how the Old World, where Nordfelt was originally from, informed his view of the New World. It's this kind of conversation between artists across time that keeps the spirit of art alive, isn't it?