Equitable Building c. early 20th century

Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt made this print, Equitable Building, using etching. The marks are so delicate, aren't they? Like he was breathing onto the plate. I like how the smokestacks are as prominent as the skyscrapers. It's all about tone here, and the way Nordfeldt teases out texture and atmosphere. Look how the soft, almost smudgy quality of the smoke contrasts with the sharper, more defined lines of the buildings. It's like he's playing with different kinds of touch. And notice the way the light seems to dissolve the edges of the buildings, making them feel almost dreamlike. It reminds me of how, in printmaking, there is a certain alchemy, an unexpected result from the process of layering. That area of soft, almost hazy texture above the buildings makes me think of Whistler's nocturnes, but with a more modern, industrial edge. Ultimately, this print is less about the specific buildings depicted and more about capturing a feeling, a mood, and a moment in time. Art is like that, an ongoing conversation.