Artwork
Brooklyn Bridge Late Afternoon
Brooklyn Bridge Late Afternoon is a print by Rachael Robinson Elmer. It dates from 1916 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Brooklyn Bridge Late Afternoon is a 1916 linocut print by American artist Rachael Robinson Elmer. Executed on a linoleum block, the work presents a stylized view of the iconic bridge bathed in the fading light of day. The composition balances the dark mass of the bridge’s stone towers with a sky rendered in bands of orange and purple.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures the Brooklyn Bridge at the close of day, emphasizing the interplay of structure and atmosphere. The glowing sky suggests the transition from daylight to evening, while the silhouetted towers convey both the permanence of the engineering feat and its integration into the surrounding urban landscape.
Technique & Style
The soft, pliable surface allowed her to create broad, flowing shapes that give the bridge a sense of solidity tempered by a light, almost weightless quality.
Elmer cut the design from a sheet of linoleum, a material originally intended for flooring but adopted by printmakers for its ease of carving. The soft, pliable surface allowed her to create broad, flowing shapes that give the bridge a sense of solidity tempered by a light, almost weightless quality. The limited color palette heightens the contrast between the dark architecture and the luminous sky.
History & Provenance
Created in 1916, the print reflects a period when linocut was gaining popularity among American artists seeking affordable, reproducible media. While specific ownership records are limited, the work is documented in museum collections that focus on early 20th‑century American printmaking, illustrating Elmer’s contribution to the medium’s development.
Artist & collection
