Manhattan Skyline

Justin McCarthy, Manhattan Skyline, ca. 1960, oil on canvas, 17 ⁷⁄₈ x 24 in. (45.4 x 60.9 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Nancy Karlins Thoman and Mark Thoman in honor of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr., 1991.79.1

Artwork Details

Title: Manhattan Skyline
Artist: Justin McCarthy
Date: ca. 1960
Location: Not on view
Dimensions: 17 ⁷⁄₈ x 24 in. (45.4 x 60.9 cm.)
Credit Line: Gift of Nancy Karlins Thoman and Mark Thoman in honor of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr.
Mediums: oil
Mediums Description: oil on canvas
Classifications: Painting
Subjects: Cityscape — New York — Manhattan
Cityscape — time — evening
Cityscape — bird’s eye view
Cityscape — New York — New York
Architecture Exterior — commercial — skyscraper
Object Number: 1991.79.1
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1991.79.1

Artwork Description

As Justin McCarthy’s eyesight began to fail, he painted with broader, looser brushstrokes. He worked quickly and often did not pause until the painting was completed. The jumbled lines and dabs of color of this image evoke the crowded, energetic skyline of New York at night, almost as if we are looking down at the city through half-closed eyes.