Chicago, Monroe Street
Donald Shaw MacLaughlan captures the towering ambition of Chicago in 1931 with this striking view of Monroe Street. The perspective draws the eye down the avenue, flanked by skyscrapers that seem to scrape the sky—note the 'Monroe' sign on the right—while tiny figures and vintage cars bustle below like ants. Interestingly, MacLaughlan was a Canadian artist who traveled the globe, but he had a special knack for capturing the vertical drama of American cities during the skyscraper boom. The scratchy, energetic lines give the scene a bustling, almost noisy atmosphere, freezing a moment of urban optimism.