Boulevard in Paris 1928

Lesser Ury painted ‘Boulevard in Paris’ in 1928, using oil on canvas. Ury, a German Jewish artist, captured the bustling streets of Paris, reflecting his own experience as an outsider observing the city's rhythms. The blurred figures and soft light evoke a sense of fleeting moments. Ury's work often explores themes of urban life, alienation, and the search for identity within a rapidly changing world. His impressionistic style creates a dreamlike quality. The boulevard, typically a symbol of modernity and progress, here seems veiled, almost melancholic. Consider the socio-political context, in the build up to WWII, against the identity of a Jewish artist living and working in Europe. This painting invites us to reflect on the individual's place within the larger urban landscape, and the emotional undercurrents that can exist beneath the surface of everyday life.