John Marin’s "Study, New York," a view from Brooklyn across the East River toward lower Manhattan, depicts the growing city as epitomizing the dynamism of both modern life and modern art. Each intersecting element of the composition projects a force field of energy, while the Chinese yin-yang symbol at the bottom center suggests that these powerful forces are held in balance.

Drawing inspiration from his travels in New Mexico, Marin depicts the New York skyline as a giant Native American pueblo structure with a single door. The Brooklyn Bridge, which fused modern technology (steel suspension cables) with traditional religious forms (Gothic arches), dominates the left side. The comet-like red star marks the modern metropolis as the site of a new spiritual order. Through his dynamic triangulation of the Native American pueblo, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the shooting star, Marin attempts to bridge America’s past, present, and future.