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The image shows a nighttime urban scene from a street-level perspective. The horizon is implied by distant buildings and streetcars above reflections on wet pavement. Buildings are outlined with a larger shadowed building in the center. Brushstrokes create a sense of blurred motion and mist with diagonal rain-like strokes. The color palette is mostly monochromatic, with shades of charcoal and black. Reflections show limited light sources like street lamps and signs. In the distance, figures with umbrellas and horse-drawn carriages provide scale and life to the scene.
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The image shows a nighttime urban scene from a street-level perspective. The horizon is implied by distant buildings and streetcars above reflections on wet pavement. Buildings are outlined with a larger shadowed building in the center. Brushstrokes create a sense of blurred motion and mist with diagonal rain-like strokes. The color palette is mostly monochromatic, with shades of charcoal and black. Reflections show limited light sources like street lamps and signs. In the distance, figures with umbrellas and horse-drawn carriages provide scale and life to the scene.

National Gallery of Art · Print

A Rainy Night, Madison Square

Charles Frederick William Mielatz

Date
1890
Medium
etching, aquatint, and roulette on Japanese paper
Dimensions
image: 31.75 × 22.86 cm (12 1/2 × 9 in.) sheet: 41.91 × 28.58 cm (16 1/2 × 11 1/4 in.)
Classification
Print
Accession number
2008.115.3513
Credit line
Reba and Dave Williams Collection, Gift of Reba and Dave Williams
Time span
1876 to 1900
Department
CG-W
Original NGA record Wikidata
Inscription

Signed: "Chas. M. Mielatz" in pencil, lower right; "MIELATZ/90" in the plate, lower right corner

NGA object ID 148403. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.