Joseph stella, the brooklyn bridge let s get lost in a painting. Variation on an old theme, oil on canvas whitney museum of american art compare the skyscraper works by hartman, okeeffe, sheeler, and steichen with skyscraperthemed sculpture and furniture of the 1920s. To joseph stella and other progressive artists of the early twen tieth century. Stellas images of industrial america bridges, factories, and new york dynamism were depicted with the honesty. Joseph stella, 191920, brooklyn bridge, oil on canvas, 215. Stella painted the brooklyn bridge several times over the years, visiting it like an old friend. In the brooklyn bridge, stella found a subject that impressed him, he said, as the shrine containing all the efforts of the new civilization of america. Blush at my praise, go red as our flag, however unitedstates of america you may be. Joseph stella 1879 1946 was born in the mountain village of muro lucano, italy. Joseph stella born giuseppe michele stella, june, 1877 november 5, 1946 was an italianborn american futurist painter best known for his depictions of industrial america, especially his images of the brooklyn bridge.
Giclee printed on high quality matte canvas using archival inks. When joseph stella arrived in new york the brooklyn bridge was only about 15 years old. For stella, the brooklyn bridgewith its noises and tremors and terrors and comfortsrepresented a spiritual passage to redemption, a visual way of showing transcendence in a secular world. Joseph stella was an italianborn american futurist painter best known for his depictions of industrial america, especially his images of the brooklyn bridge. Spectators likened them to spiders spinning webs high in the air. The brooklyn bridge in the winter of 1852, john roebling and his 15 year old son, washington were riding a ferry boat across the east river from new york to brooklyn. This piece, painted toward the end of his life, blends the futurist and cubist sensibilities of his early work with the religious undertones and saturated color that typify the paintings he. In brooklyn bridge 191920, he shows his fascination with the sweeping lines of the roeblings bridge. Roebling, and his son died from bridgerelated injuries or illnesses source. The brooklyn bridge is known for the number of people who died during its construction. At the time it opened in 1883 until 1903, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world50% longer than any previously built. Line, symmetrical balance, point of view, futurist grade. After studying medicine for a year, he decided to pursue his dream of becoming an artist.
The brooklyn bridge, a treasured landmark is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the united states. We also discuss and learn about the elements of design. Variation on an old theme stella first painted the brooklyn bridge in 1918 and returned to it repeatedly throughout his career. Inspiration stella had been inspired to paint the brooklyn bridge by his own intense experience of it late one night as he stood. Running alongside this is a story of a child living a homeless life beneath the iconic brooklyn bridge that shapes the city skyline to this very day.
Joseph pennell, brooklyn bridge, watercolor and chalk on paper brooklyn museum 1927. Josephs stella painting the brooklyn bridge variation on an. The symbol of the brooklyn bridge in a view from the bridge. To find men who could work up in the cables, the bridge company hired sailors who were used to being in the tall rigging of sailing ships. Joseph stella, the brooklyn bridge lets get lost in a. In the brooklyn bridge, stella found a subject that impressed him, he said. Brooklyn bridge, suspension bridge spanning the east river from brooklyn to manhattan in new york city. It is the opposites in the brooklyn bridgenotably of strength and grace, weight and lightnessthat inspired the most powerful works of painter joseph stella, whose the bridge, 192022 we see here. Stella was born to a middleclass family in italy, in muro lucano, a village in the. Cur at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. Artist joseph stella moved to america from a small village in italy and fell in love with the skyscrapers, subways, and bridges of new york city.
Line designs this lesson is great fun and looks impressive when complete. The bridge belongs to the tradition of the long poem in americathey are works that ask philosophical and religious questions about life and the fate of nations. Reginald marsh, brooklyn bridge, watercolor over graphite on cream laid paper princeton. Brooklyn bridge, his signature image, addressed the two aesthetic currents of his time representation and abstraction to suggest the deeper significance of this modern architectural. Jun 4, 20 joseph stella 18771946 was an italian born american futurist painter. Find more prominent pieces of cityscape at best visual art database.
Then we add finishing touches like wall hanging mount, wall friendly bumpers and a protective backing. Perhaps his best known paintings were those featuring the brooklyn bridge. The a view from the bridge quotes below all refer to the symbol of the brooklyn bridge. Joseph stella american, born italy, 18771946 portrait of moses soyer 1944. In this lesson, students view walker evanss photograph brooklyn bridge and joseph stellas paintings brooklyn bridge and voice of the city interpreted. Learn more about joseph stella and his painting brooklyn bridge in picturing. Ideal purpose of analysis is to obtain an accurate measure of. As a crazed believer enters a church, retreats into a monastery cell, austere and plain. Josephs stella painting the brooklyn bridge variation on. For stella, the brooklyn bridge with its noises and tremors and terrors and comfortsrepresented a spiritual passage to redemption, a visual way of showing transcendence in a secular world.
Joseph stella 18771946 joseph stella, a modernist who explored numerous styles and subjects, is best known for his images of the brooklyn bridge. Brooklyn bridge, his signature image, addressed the two aesthetic currents of his timerepresentation and abstraction to suggest the deeper significance of this. We use the highest quality wood in our modern shop to create custom frames, frame your print with precisioncut acidfree matt board, and mount it behind a uvblocking semigloss plexiglass to protect your art from the sun, dust, pollution, heat, and humidity. The brooklyn bridge was created in 1939 by joseph stella in futurism style. An important symbol of new york that connects brooklyn to manhattan, the bridge is a liminal, or inbetween space, not fully belonging to either brooklyn or manhattan. New york dazzled and overwhelmed newcomers with its bright lights, towering skyscrapers, omnipresent sounds, and crush of humanity. Shop for framed brooklyn bridge, 191920 by joseph stella. In brooklyn bridge, the author tells two stories simultaneously. Art criticism assessment 8th grade visual arts comprehensive. He is also associated with the american precisionist movement of the 1910s1940s. Brooklyn bridge, 191920 artwork by joseph stella at. Brooklyn bridge is joseph stellas bestknown and most moving testimonial to. Following the hugely influencial 19 armory show, he became a key figure in the new york art world.
His fascination with the bridge began with his first sight of it shortly after his arrival in america in 1896 from his native italy. Here, he captures its sweeping cables, glittering lights, bustling traffic, and spectacular views. Joseph stellas professional career left a lasting mark on american modernism, but it was just as fraught and unsteady as his personal life. The speaker addresses the bridge directly, using the old fashioned thee like youd find in a shakespeare play. This poster features a print of stellas famous modernist painting that is displayed in the yale university art gallery. Over the chained bay waters liberty then, with inviolate curve, forsake our eyes. Archival inks can last 75 years if kept out of direct sunlight. Brooklyn bridge was created in 1920 by joseph stella in futurism style.
Joseph stella the brooklyn bridge lets get lost in a painting saunders, robert, goldstein, ernest on. All prints have an approximate 12 white border in addition to the print size. Joseph stella the brooklyn bridge lets get lost in a. Designed by john roebling, it connected manhattan island and brooklyn on long island a fascinating book about the building of the bridge is the great bridge by david mccullough. The brooklyn bridge 1939 by joseph stella 24x 16 the whitney museum error.
The italianborn american futurist artist joseph stella 18771946 was best known for variations and futuristic depictions of the second industrial revolution in america during the 1930s and 1940sweinberg 114. John marin, brooklyn bridge, watercolor and charcoal on paper metropolitan museum of art ca. The bridge is across new york harbor from where the speaker is. Joseph stella s professional career left a lasting mark on american modernism, but it was just as fraught and unsteady as his personal life. Joseph stella american, born italy, 18771946 study for brooklyn bridge 1922 joseph stella american, born italy, 18771946 man with mustache n. Roebling, and his son died from bridge related injuries or illnesses source. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. After growing up in europe, he came to the united states in 1896 to study medicine. Dynamic and graceful cables sweep down and out, drawing us in through dark soaring arches which frame. To italianborn joseph stella, who immigrated to new york at the age of nineteen, new york city was a nexus of frenetic, formshattering power. Brooklyn bridge by joseph stella, in various sizes.
The seagulls wings shall dip and pivot him, shedding white rings of tumult, building high. The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place. Brooklyn bridge in the brooklyn bridge, stella found a subject that impressed him, he said, as the shrine containing all the efforts of the new civilization of america. Variation on an old theme is a recreation of an original made in 1920. Mar 02, 2011 the brooklyn bridge, a treasured landmark is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the united states. Joseph stella the brooklyn bridge lets get lost in a painting. Brooklyn bridge is one of those novels that just sticks with you, if not for its historical new york city scenery than for the main characters struggle to enjoy his fleeting childhood amidst his parents demands. Dynamic and graceful cables sweep down and out, drawing us.
The second dominant mode in to brooklyn bridgeis slightly more difficult to grasp or quantify, but can, nevertheless, be securely regarded as metaphysical. Joseph stella, brooklyn bridge, oil on canvas yale university art gallerypicturing america 1921. While it is never mentioned explicitly during the play, the brooklyn bridge is alluded to in millers title and is to be imagined in the background of eddies brooklyn neighborhood. From the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spiders web. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. Essay about the brooklyn bridge 971 words bartleby. Joseph stella, the brooklyn bridge let s get lost in a painting saunders, robert j on. The four suspension cables on the brooklyn bridge had to be spun of wire, meaning that men worked hundreds of feet above the river. The symbol of the brooklyn bridge in a view from the. Brooklyn bridge is joseph stellas bestknown and most moving testimonial to the power and majesty of americas modern industrial landscape. The poem is called to brooklyn bridge because it is literally addressed to the bridge. As he looked across the east river, he could picture the bridge he. The main story, presented in the text with regular font, is about joseph michtom and his immigrant family who live in.