Andreas Feininger (American/French, 1906-1999), Hudson River Waterfront at Midtown, 1945. Gelatin silver print. 30 x 40 in (76.2 x 101.6 cm), framed 32 x 42 in. (81.28 x 106.68 cm), Gift of Chester J. Straub. Located at E. Craig Wall Jr. Academic Center – 2nd Floor.
Born in 1906 in Paris, Andreas Feininger became one of the world’s most celebrated photographers. Trained as an architect in Germany, he developed a fascination with structure and form that shaped his photographic style, especially in architectural and industrial subjects. After emigrating to New York at the onset of WWII, he established his own firm and later joined LIFE magazine, where his images helped define the look of modern photojournalism.
This photograph captures the energy and dynamism of New York City at a pivotal moment in its history. Billowing smokestacks, towering skyscrapers, and crowded docks convey a sense of motion and vitality that still defines the city today. The stark black-and-white tones highlight form and contrast, lending the scene both a journalistic clarity and a romantic timelessness. The industrial skyline, paired with signs of modern development, reflects the postwar turning point in urban growth and planning.
The “WELCOME HOME” sign was likely directed toward sailors returning from the war, but it also resonates with the broader waves of migration in the postwar years, when New York remained a gateway for newcomers seeking fresh beginnings. Whether for veterans or immigrants, the sign embodies a spirit of unity and belonging at a time when the world was struggling to rebuild.
I was especially drawn to this photograph because of my own connection to New York. Both of my parents are from the city, and I grew up spending summers and winters there with my family. My grandparents immigrated from Italy to Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, around the same era this photograph was taken. To me, this image captures the New York they would have first encountered– bustling, gritty, yet full of promise.
Even as the city has grown and transformed, this photograph reminds me that New York’s enduring spark, the same one that welcomed my family decades ago, still shines today. As a senior at Davidson College preparing to enter the post-grad world, I hope to make New York my own home, carrying forward the same sense of hope and opportunity the city has offered generations before me.
-Sabrina Bonavita ’26