More and more, I think Stow Wengeroth is my favorite print artist. I haven’t found one of his prints yet that I don’t like, and most I love. He is best known for New England scenes, which comprise the bulk of his oeuvre, but he has a number of striking New York scenes as well, which remind me of Martin Lewis. (In fact, I first learned of Wengenroth, early in my print enthusiasm, when trying to track down a Martin Lewis print I really liked, only to discover it was mislabeled and was actually by Wengenroth. This is today’s print.) Wengenroth was born in Brooklyn, trained in New York, and lived in New York City on and off over most of his lifetime.
Today’s print is of a nocturnal street scene with city skyline in the background, and like all of his work, it is remarkably detailed and evocative. This print takes my breath away as much as any of his classical New England lighthouse scenes. When I look at this scene, I hear Earle Hagen’s Harlem Nocturne in my head–not sure if the scene itself evokes that resonance, or merely the name, or perhaps a combination of the two. (Tangential trivia: Hagen wrote the song as a tribute to Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges, for the Ray Noble Orchestra. The link is to the original recording by Noble’s orchestra. I didn’t recognize Hagen’s name, but was fascinated to discover he wrote numerous TV theme songs, including two of my all-time faves–the Andy Griffith Show and the Dick van Dyke Show.)
New York Nocturne (1945)
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