For many American artists, New York City in the early twentieth century epitomized modern life. Through a variety of media, they captured an increasingly diverse populace, expanding skyline, and changed public mores. The group of print artists featured in this exhibition resisted the trend towards abstraction, choosing instead to represent the human figure in the urban environment. They worked with etching needles, burnishers, plate, and stone to capture people at work, at play, and on the move. The resulting prints offer intriguing glimpses of a rapidly changing American metropolis.

Curated by Sarah Freshnock ’17 in collaboration with Dana Byrd, assistant professor of art history, Bowdoin College.