Who painted Fourth Avenue?

Fourth Avenue was painted by Joseph Pennell in 1910.

Where can I see Fourth Avenue?

Fourth Avenue is held by National Gallery of Art.

Can I buy a print of Fourth Avenue?

Museum-quality prints of Fourth Avenue are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Fourth Avenue by Joseph Pennell (1910) · Artifact World Gallery

About this work

This lithograph shows a busy city street in 1910, packed with trolleys, carriages, and pedestrians.

This lithograph shows a busy city street in 1910, packed with trolleys, carriages, and pedestrians. The artist etched every detail into stone, then inked it by hand. You can almost hear the clatter of hooves and the hiss of steam.

Lithography lets artists draw right on smooth limestone. Then ink sticks only where the drawing was. This method gives such crisp lines.

See how the shadows stretch? That shows noon light cutting through tall buildings. Want to try this yourself? Look up lithography.

Overview

Created in 1910, *Fourth Avenue* is a lithographic print by American artist Joseph Pennell. The image captures a bustling New York street scene, populated with streetcars, horse‑drawn carriages and a flow of pedestrians. Pennell’s composition records the kinetic energy of early‑twentieth‑century urban life, emphasizing the coexistence of emerging motorized transport and traditional conveyances.

Subject & Meaning

The print documents a moment of transition in the city’s infrastructure, where steam‑powered trolleys share the road with horse‑drawn vehicles. By portraying the layered traffic and the play of light across the facades, Pennell highlights the rapid industrial growth of the era and the everyday rhythms of a metropolis in motion.

Technique & Style

Pennell employed the lithographic process, drawing directly onto a smooth limestone slab with greasy crayon. After treating the stone, he applied ink that adhered only to the drawn areas, producing sharp, precise lines. The work’s clear delineation of architectural forms and careful rendering of shadows reflect his training in etching and his interest in architectural detail.

History & Provenance

Pennell, a former student of James Lambdin and Thomas Eakins, was later influenced by James McNeill Whistler’s tonal approach. Though he spent much of his career abroad, his American prints often focused on urban and industrial subjects. *Fourth Avenue* was produced during his most prolific period of printmaking and has since been held in several public collections that document early twentieth‑century American lithography.