John French Sloan
John Sloan’s Cornelia Street is both a nostalgic tribute to the building that once housed his studio and a sharp-eyed reflection on New York’s rapid transformation. A leading figure of the Ashcan School—a group of realist painters mentored by Robert Henri—Sloan was known for capturing the grit, energy, and everyday life of the modern metropolis. He painted the city’s streets, elevated trains, and working-class neighborhoods, often with a social and political edge.
The painting centers on the distinctive Varitype Building at 2 Cornelia Street—nicknamed the “Greenwich Flatiron”—where Sloan kept his studio from 1912 to 1915. Built in 1907 in the Beaux-Arts style, it was among New York’s first steel-frame buildings. To the left, the Sixth Avenue Elevated Train clatters past; to the right, Cornelia Street meets Bleecker Street in the distance. Sloan bathes the scene in the glow of both natural and artificial light—street lamps, train lights, and a vivid sunset.
Happy World Architecture Day, everyone!
P.S. If you love paintings where the city itself is the subject, take a look at our premium print of Gustave Caillebotte’s Paris Street; Rainy Day. Just like Sloan’s New York, Caillebotte’s Paris captures architecture, atmosphere, and everyday life frozen in a single, timeless moment.
P.P.S. Meet 5 famous painters of American Realism! Do you know all of them?