Description
The work "Estela del Ferry II" (1907) by John Sloan is a magnificent example of the vitalism of Granja of the early twentieth century, particularly the style of the New York school, of which Sloan was a prominent member. This painting, in visual terms, catches the viewer in its dynamic representation of moving water, a frequent issue in Sloan's work that enrolls in an artistic tradition where urban life and nature coexist and intertwine.
The composition is remarkable for its perspective, where the figure of the ferry becomes the center of attention, leaving behind a trail of water that captures and reflects the light in a vibrant way. This element is one of the most interesting of the work: the wake created by the ship suggests not only the movement, but also a sense of time in the flow and reflux of the landscape. Water treatment, loaded with nuances and tones ranging from deep blue to green and silver glitters, manages to transmit a sensation of freshness and dynamism, characteristics of Sloan's style.
At color, Sloan uses a palette that evokes a contemporary sensitivity towards everyday life. The terrible tones and the flashes of light that capture the wave of the water and the sky create a balance between the realistic and the ideal. The way in which light and shadow play through water and ferry helmet adds a complexity that invites multiple readings. The work is both quiet in its theme and vivacious in its execution, a pictorial story that encapsulates life in the urban environment of New York at the beginning of the twentieth century.
The characters are almost invisible in this scene, which highlights the monumentality of the ferry and its trip. This approach is characteristic of Sloan, who often focused on elements of urban life that, although apparently anonymous, are vital for the collective narrative of their time. The absence of individual human figures causes the viewer to reflect on the relationship between human beings and the machine, a resonant issue in the modernity in which Sloan lived.
When placing "Estela del Ferry II" in the broadest context of the art of the time, it is evident how the artist contributed to the exit of impressionism and towards a more personal and political approach in painting. His works usually reflect both the multidimensional life of the city and its transformation through modernization. This aquatic landscape, which combines humanity and technology, can be seen as a precursor to the subsequent interest for the urban that would mark the development of modern art.
In sum, "Estela del Ferry II" is a work that not only stands out for its capture of a vibrant aquatic scene, but also invites us to consider the complexity of the movement and change in the urban environment. Through his fiery representation of Ferry in his career, John Sloan achieves a reflection on the modernity and intrinsic relationship of people with his landscape of life.
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