Postcard – Year 1946: 42nd Street as Viewed from Weehawken, by Andreas B.L. Feininger

“42nd Street as Viewed from Weehawken”

Looking southwest across the Hudson River into Manhattan, along the urban canyon of 42nd Street, by Andreas Feininger.

A stunning photo.

Why?

The manner in which the city’s buildings, crisply backlit against each other, backlit against the sky, recede into the distance.

The clarity of automotive traffic along 42nd Street.

Mist.

Clouds of fog and steam: The sense of something hidden; a feeling of uncertainty; the air of mystery.

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The map below shows the orientation of what-I-assume was Feininger’s field of view from Weehawken.

 This image is also displayed at gallerym and MOMA (the latter at a higher resolution than here), where you can view other examples of Feininger’s oeuvre.  

(This photo was scanned from Lombreuil postcard number PH 762.  MOMA lists the image’s date as 1945, whereas Lumbreuil denotes the date as 1946.)