Park Row 1912

Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt made this etching, Park Row, using a metal plate, acid, and paper. The acid eats into the metal, creating lines that hold ink, and the paper absorbs that ink, creating an image in reverse. Notice how Nordfeldt’s lines capture the dizzying density of New York. The textures are rough, almost chaotic, mimicking the city’s relentless energy. It’s a far cry from the smooth surfaces and refined techniques often associated with fine art. Etching allowed Nordfeldt to embrace a grittier aesthetic, reflecting the rapid industrialization and urbanization of early 20th-century America. The print also speaks volumes about labor. While Nordfeldt himself was a skilled artist, the scene depicts the world of commerce and consumption. Billboards advertising tires and coffee loom large, dwarfing the people below. The print hints at the relentless cycle of production and consumption that defined the era. Nordfeldt’s choice of etching, a process that democratized image-making, and his subject matter, the bustling streets of New York, blur the lines between high art and everyday life.