American, 1884–1974
Terminal Yards
oil on canvas, 1913
46 x 52 1/8 inches
Gift of Mrs. Arthur Jerome Eddy, 1931.4
oil on canvas, 1913
46 x 52 1/8 inches
Gift of Mrs. Arthur Jerome Eddy, 1931.4
artist info
Leon Kroll, known as a figurative painter, made his initial mark on the art world with urban landscapes of
the New York area, a type exemplified by Terminal Yards. The composition presents a panoramic view
from Weehawken Heights in New Jersey looking across the railroad yards. Beyond is the Hudson River,
with the New York skyline visible in the distance. In these cityscapes, Kroll tended to favor such bird'seye
vistas depicted from unusual vantage points.
Terminal Yards was selected for inclusion in the important 1913 International Exhibition for Modern Art, known as the "Armory Show." The picture was singled out from the many other works on view by former president Theodore Roosevelt who called it "one of the most striking in the show." Kroll continued to paint and exhibit urban scenes until the later 1920s, but by then he had increasingly turned to more pastoral subjects. Though he experimented with some modernist ideas, he remained firmly entrenched in the realist tradition throughout his life.
Terminal Yards was selected for inclusion in the important 1913 International Exhibition for Modern Art, known as the "Armory Show." The picture was singled out from the many other works on view by former president Theodore Roosevelt who called it "one of the most striking in the show." Kroll continued to paint and exhibit urban scenes until the later 1920s, but by then he had increasingly turned to more pastoral subjects. Though he experimented with some modernist ideas, he remained firmly entrenched in the realist tradition throughout his life.
