Berlin street scene with horse-drawn cabs 1910

Lesser Ury painted this street scene in Berlin with oils, capturing the city's pulse. Just imagine the scene! Torrential rain transforms the street into a shimmering dream. The artist must have been quick, the paint still wet and fluid as he made the buildings and horse-drawn cabs emerge from the blurry scene with loose brushstrokes of creamy whites, grays, and dark browns. See how the reflections in the water are elongated, almost abstract? I imagine the artist, in his studio, remembering the fleeting moment and attempting to convey the feeling of wetness, the smells of earth and horse. There’s a kinship between Ury’s work and other painters, like Whistler, who evoke mood and atmosphere. For me, paintings like this are a reminder of how artists see the world, and how painting helps us understand the slippery, subjective nature of experience. We learn that paintings are not just copies of things, but instead are felt sensations. Each brushstroke contributes to an ambiguous and deeply personal meaning.