"The ). (" by Bror J. O. Nordfeldt, Swedish-Amer., 1878-1955)

(Chicago Rail Yards?), Etching, ca. 1910's-30's, Ed. unknown, 7-1/2 x 11-11/16, on antique cream wove paper, signed and titled in pencil (cryptically) as stated above. The image itself is fine except for a discreet pin hole at left edge center just inside the platemark. There are condition issues with the margins of the print. There is a repaired diagonal tear to the left margin at top, a small edge loss to lower left margin and the bottom margin is rough and uneven, with a long horizontal repaired tear at bottom margin center which falls under the mat edge. There is soiling and rubbing to the outer margins, the sheet toned in the mat opening and mat line. Despite these marginal flaws, all concealed by the mat, the image is well inked, pencil signed and presents well. Nordfeldt was a masterful and prolific artist and the creator, at least in the U.S. ,of the White Line Color Woodcut, known as the Provincetown Print. Quite traditional in his early prints, by 1915 he boldly embraced modernist and expressionist tendencies in both his painitings and prints, though his many etchings of American cities would remain in the broader Whistlerian tradition. There is no catalogue raisonne of the artist's etchings, which I suspect number in the 100's. Nordfeldt's handwriting, which can be difficult to decipher, and the lack of a complete catalogue make it difficult to identify some works, as here. If the location in this print is familiar to you, please contact me.