A watercolour view of New York

A delicate and atmospheric watercolour view of New York City depicting the skyline from the East River, with the Brooklyn Bridge and the newly rising Woolworth Building shown during its construction. Executed with a restrained and luminous palette, the composition captures the city at a pivotal moment of architectural transformation, balancing the industrial vitality of the waterfront with the soft atmospheric effects of the harbour and sky.

Signed and dated 1912.

Framed dimensions:
Height: 11 in.
Width: 15 in.

Signed by William Monk and dated 1912, the work forms part of the artist’s rare American subjects produced during his visit to the United States. The unfinished Woolworth Building — completed the following year in 1913 — was at the time emerging as the tallest building in the world, making the present watercolour an evocative and historically resonant record of New York in the early skyscraper age.

Known primarily for his views of London and the Thames, William Monk (1863–1937) was celebrated for his atmospheric urban landscapes and maritime scenes. Here, his characteristic fluid handling and sensitivity to light translate seamlessly to the modern spectacle of New York harbour, capturing both the monumentality and transience of the rapidly changing city.