Cincinnati Terminal 1931

Louis Conrad Rosenberg’s ‘Cincinnati Terminal’ is an etching, made sometime in the 20th century, showing a monumental building under construction. Rosenberg used a tight monochromatic palette and an incredible sense of detail. The web of scaffolding is rendered with real care, the mass of criss-crossing lines becoming something elegant. It's this embrace of process that I find so interesting. You can almost feel Rosenberg at the plate, following each line, building up this intricate structure. Look closely at the center of the image and see how he uses the density of the lines to suggest depth and shadow. The whole image comes to life via this technique, a conversation between light and shadow, substance and void. The Futurists also celebrated the dynamism of the modern city, but Rosenberg brings a unique eye to his image of urban progress. It’s a reminder that art isn’t about answers, but about asking new questions.