Richard Aberle Florsheim (American, 1916-1979)
Bridge, 1977
Lithograph on paper
12.125 x 20 in
Gift of Lakeside Studio
On a whim, I discovered Richard Aberle Florsheim’s Bridge in the Van Every/Smith Galleries collection. Despite its gloomy, dismal mood, I felt captivated by its simplicity and its ambiguity, as if I was staring out a blurry train window on an unfamiliar, yet enticing, destination.
This gray, grainy cityscape evokes a mysterious yet peaceful feeling and invites viewers into its rich, hazy atmosphere. Thin black lines denote a bridge with thicker vertical stripes forming skyscrapers in the background. Subtle reflections below the bridge posts indicate water, with its horizontal marks parallel to but darker than the lighter lines depicting the sky above. The bridge itself runs across the center of the work, dividing the static of sky and water, and running off the page to suggest its connection to land. The background buildings of varying heights recede into the distance and provide a sense of depth and the continuation of the city beyond the two-dimensional print itself.
I’m not sure what it is that draws me to cityscapes (as a little full-circle moment for me in my last semester of senior year, I’m reminded of my former ArtMate work and blog post on Todd Webb’s Grand Street Station from my first year as a gallery intern), but I tend to gravitate towards the intricacies and controlled chaos of urban scenes. Despite my upbringing in the suburbs and my previous mindset that cities are too noisy, too draining, and only tolerable in small doses, I have become more fascinated by both the connectivity and anonymity of city life. I credit this change in perspective to my summer abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, where I appreciated the ease of public transportation and the blend of human architecture with green space. The more I explore cities, the more I have begun to enjoy both the bustling streets and small pockets of quiet(er) solace.
As I consider this particular work with its monochrome palette and textured marks, I notice its sense of calm and clarity, with simple lines depicting a whole world. No people or crowds appear in this scene, instead merely alluding to human life through the skyscrapers and bridge. This places the focus on human creation rather than people themselves. There is a surprising depth within this work, one that inspires me to rethink my prior thoughts on what cities can look like, and how they can be depicted through art.
Richard Aberle Florsheim (American, 1916-1979) is a Chicago-born artist and graduate of the University of Chicago. His artistic study took him to New York, central Europe, Italy, and France. After a position in the Navy, Florsheim continued his artistic practice and held many exhibitions, as well as joining art leagues and associations. A selection of his lithographs, including Bridge, are part of the Van Every/Smith Galleries’ collection. Learn more about Florsheim from Chicago Modern.
– Gaby Sanclimenti ’25