Cincinnati: From Kentucky

Max Pollak

Before settling permanently in Northern California in 1938 Max and Freidl Pollak traveled across the United States and Max chronicled their journey in a number of color aquatints of New York; Detroit, Michigan; Washington, DC; and Cincinnati, Ohio, and many others.

This is a view of Cincinnati, Ohio from the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. The Roebling Suspension Bridge, shown at left, links Cincinnati and Covington, Kentucky. Built in 1866 it was the longest suspension bridge in the world.

The tall building behind the brick warehouses was the Union Central Tower and Central Trust Building. The tallest building is the 49-story Carew Tower completed in 1930 in the heart of downtown Cincinnati. This Deco-inspired building was once the tallest skyscraper in Cincinnati.

Pollak exhibited an impression of this work in an exhibition at the Crafters Company in Cincinatti in late 1941. The Cincinatti Enquirer reviewed the show (reproducing this image in black and white) where they wrote: "...Mr. Pollak has done an immense amount of good work since coming to this country, and among his finest prints is the "View of Cincinatti From Kentucky," which we reproduce. He does not hesitate to handle color and often, as in this print, his color takes on the quality of gouache wash with very little of the etcher's line dominating. In this way he achieves a remarkable effect that gives his etchings greater pictorial value..."