An oil on canvas painting of the Brooklyn Bridge painted by Joseph Stella in a Cubist style that features movement and tumult in an urban setting composed in one-point perspective in a vertical orientation. The top center of the composition reveals three Gothic Revival style towers of the suspension bridge, the one closer to the viewer is larger as it scales down to the smallest. Metal-looking cables emanate from the towers and frontal lines of one-point perspective usher us into the vanishing point. Divergent slats of steel are intersecting vertical, horizontal, and diagonal ones in a geometric format while a gentle arc on the top of the canvas creates an architectural expanse. Random narrow lines drawn in diverse shapes open picture planes in all four quadrants where values of blue, black, green, white and red are used to create abstract Cubist space. As we scan the lower half of the painting the artist introduces abstract red shapes mixed with other colors mentioned before opening up the illusion of spaces of interest creating depth of space while we can almost hear a cacophony of urban noise.

There is one other image of this object. See our image rights statement.

See more objects with the tag night, contrast, urban, abstract, energy.

Object Timeline

	We acquired this object.
1919	Work on this object began.
1920	Work on this object ended.
2017	We photographed this object. We photographed this object. We exhibited this object.
2021	You found it!

Painting, Brooklyn Bridge

This is a Painting. It was created by Joseph Stella. It is dated 1919–20. Its medium is oil on canvas.

In this large canvas Stella explored fractured light through the suspension cables of the Brooklyn Bridge. His combination of Italian heritage, French study, interest in Futurism, and early appreciation of the New York urban environment distinguished him in the art and design world of the 1920s.

It is credited Lent by Yale University Art Gallery, Gift of Collection Société Anonyme, 1941.690.

Drawing, Abstract Cityscape
graphite, orange crayon on wove paper.
Gift of Anonymous Donor.
1992-127-1

The front view of a pale yellow ziggurat and rectangular compression molded plastic radio of 1935, known as the Skyscraper radio. This art deco radio reflects an Egyptian stepped up architectural motif that leads to a narrowed and flattened roof where the speaker of the radio is housed with six slats and covered with a textured and woven fabric for improved sound effect. The front of the radio features a central panel of molded plaskon with a cascade of seven vertical striations alluding to a waterfall design. Four horizontal striations of molded plaskon emanate on either side of the central panel, close to the base, and on each of its sides sit a tuning knob of metal and white. The cascading central panel holds two important and decorative features of the radio. Toward the top is a glass enclosed rectangular metal framed insert with a depiction of two world globes complete with stars and squiggly lines as cloud formations in a dark outline. The name “Air King”, the Brooklyn based manufacturer of the radio is printed above. At the center and below the insert, there is a ziggurat metal plaque with four nail heads and four striations. Within this plaque is the radio dial, comprised of three concentric circles in glossy black with white edging. The outer rim shows four digit numbers, with tiny intervals of lines (frequency markers) in white for fine tuning, in the mid circle are two digit numbers with frequency markers and with the word megacycles, also in white. In the inner circle and displayed for ornament, is a white seated figure of Atlas holding up the world. Intersecting the Atlas figure is the main tuning needle (depicted as a airplane style needle) pointing to the numbers and tuning marks located at the circumference. Below his feet is printed the name, “Atlas”. All is enclosed behind a circle of glass. Attached at the metal base of the disk is the central tuning knob in metal and white.

Skyscraper Radio, 1935
compression-molded plaskon, metal, glass, woven textile.
Gift of George R. Kravis II.
2018-22-20

A shining silver-colored cocktail service, with gleaming, reflective surfaces. Centered on the square tray is a tall, cylindrical cocktail shaker, with a smaller cylindrical cap and vertical ridges on the body. Circling the shaker are six stemmed cups with short, cylindrical bowls, about the same size as the shaker cap; long slender stems; and flat round bases. The interiors of the cups are brushed, matte metal. The square tray is like a picture frame, with an inset area and ridged, beveled edges stepping down to the level of the table.

Manhattan Cocktail Service
chrome-plated brass.
Gift of George R. Kravis II.
2018-22-61-a/i

Our curators have highlighted 3 objects that are related to this one.

A wide-mouthed slightly bulbous circular bowl, tapering to a molded circular foot. The exterior of the bowl is decorated with a composition of stylized geometric architecture, art-deco advertising signs, cocktail glasses, and musical instruments in black, with a royal blue, transparent glaze over the whole surface. A small part of the interior is shown, which is decorated with a continuous band of musical staff and notations in royal blue over a black ground.

The New Yorker (Jazz) Punch Bowl
glazed, molded earthenware with sgraffito design.
Gift of Mrs. Homer Kripke.
1980-21-7

A suite of bracelets, four fabricated from platinum, diamond, rubies and sapphires in a complex geometric design. Each bracelet is constructed in three rows employing brick-like platinum forms in a standard layout where the left side is deeper and slightly faces outward with a stone embedded on its outward side. The long side facing inward is formed with two horizontally placed, five front bricks on each row whereas the same form without the stones curves around creating a pattern throughout the balance of the bracelet. Since platinum is a soft metal many scratches are visible on each brick along with a shiny finish that reflects the light. The four bracelets are unevenly stacked so the bottom one is flat on the surface and contains five round diamonds in each row, the one above rests its front on the middle of the bracelet below and from the bottom up contains a row each of square cut rubies, diamonds and sapphires. The second bracelet from the top rests unevenly on the bracelet below and features square cut rubies in three rows, while the top bracelet is stacked to the right and features round cut diamonds in three rows. The photograph captures the bracelet where the front and left sides are visible and the inner side of the bricks of the bottom two bracelets is seen against a light reflective surface that darkens toward the top of the image.

Suite Of Bracelets, 1930s
diamonds, rubies, sapphires, platinum.
Neil Lane Collection.
59.2016.23

This object has not been digitized yet.

Textile, Manhattan, 1930
linen.
Lent by Yale University Art Gallery, John P. Axelrod Collection, B.A. 1968,....
65.2016.7

Its dimensions are

215.3 x 194.6 cm (84 3/4 x 76 5/8 in.)

We have 1 media file that features Painting, Brooklyn Bridge.

"Weather Bird," Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines (1928)

Joseph Stella’s oil painting of the Brooklyn Bridge is captivating and somewhat avant-garde for the time period. Coincidentally, “Weather Bird” by Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines was deemed to...

http://www.folkways.si.edu/louis-armstrong-and-earl-hines/weather-bird/jazz-ragtime/music/track/smithsonian

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition The Jazz Age: American Style in the 1920s.

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2oaHcK/
Accession Number 65.2016.9
Object ID 907214293