Night on Fourteenth St. 1936

Raymond White Skolfield made this image of 14th street probably around the time when the elevated railway was still running, using black ink on paper. I can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the paper, scratching and hatching to create the dense atmosphere of the city at night. There’s a real sense of depth and texture, with the strokes varying in pressure to bring the composition to life. I imagine the artist carefully considering each line, building up the image gradually, adding layers of dark and light to capture the mood. What was Skolfield thinking as they made this piece? I wonder if they were trying to capture the energy of the city or perhaps highlight the loneliness and isolation one can feel even when surrounded by crowds. Like Edward Hopper maybe? Or perhaps they were trying to capture the feeling of progress and modernity that was so prevalent at the time. Either way, there’s something deeply human about this image, an enduring quality that keeps us coming back for more.