Peter Blume

The Bridge

In 1912, at a young age, artist Peter Blume immigrated to Brooklyn from Russia. He remained in the city for his studies and established a studio by 1926, becoming witness to a transforming urban landscape. From his apartment window, Blume had direct visual access to the Queensboro Bridge, which was completed in 1909. At the time of its opening, it was the longest bridge to exist in the United States. The Queensboro Bridge acted as a representation of American modernity and industrial advancement. Parallel to this rapid urbanization, American artists used muted colors, hard lines, and angular shapes in their artworks, departing from European influences. This style came to be known as Precisionism, defining a distinctly American vocabulary for American experiences.