Description

A signed limited print may be available of this piece! (click here)

This painting shows a magnificent view of the Brooklyn Bridge from the Manhattan side, around Canal Street.

The bridge stands proudly, its majestic arches reaching into the sky. On the left, in the distance, you can faintly see the Manhattan Bridge, adding a sense of depth and perspective to the scene. And beneath the bridge, the FDR Drive stretches north and south, bustling with traffic life. And in the foreground, brownstones line the edge of the East River, their rich, earthy colors bringing warmth to the composition. I really love the detail at the storefront on the right. In Dad's later paintings, he moved away from such details, focusing more on expressive strokes, leaving the details to be filled in by the viewer's mind.

Dad always had a special way with colors, using them boldly to evoke emotion, movement, and a sense of time. For example, the brownstones, with their facades and the windows; they add a touch of history, reality and charm to the urban landscape.

When I look at this painting, I am sent back to a time of our lives filled with hope and new beginnings, and as always there was some significant turmoil in the world.

Just 6 years prior to this work, our family escaped from Communist Hungary (1956) and found refuge in the United States. At the time of this painting, Dad was 40 years old, and New York City had become our home.

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest, Hungary, Dad had a gift for blending the classical techniques he learned with wonderful expressive styles. And the city’s energy and vibrancy matched his artistic spirit, as he poured his heart into capturing its complete essence.

Looking at this piece, I can only imagine how America must have felt to Mom and Dad then—a land of endless possibilities. (I was too young to understand those feelings)

And 1962 was also a troubling time, because it was the year of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War with the Soviet Union. In fact, it's a little known bit of history that on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge (the side shown in this painting) the base of the bridge had a large fall-out shelter, in the event of a nuclear attack, filled with survival supplies. Fortunately, it was never used.

Today, I am moved by the fact that Dad's paintings and drawings are so much more than just images; indeed, they are expressions of his personal dreams, of love, respect and admirations of humanity. He shared his journey and tried to bring attention to the important things he saw and felt.

This painting, like all of his work, is a beautiful reminder of our city's past, our family's past, and the vibrant life we built together in New York City, USA.

On this day in 1962, Dad saw and felt the Brooklyn Bridge. ❤️

Through My Father's Eyes