Standing Man and Woman

American painter George Luks was a member of the Ashcan school, a group of realist painters known for their depictions of every day street life in New York, often of coarse subject matter. At the turn of the century, Luks began to adopt the style of fellow Ashcan painter Robert Henri, who was known for a broad application of black chalk or charcoal. This loosely sketched drawing of a man and woman, depicted with thick, summary strokes of charcoal, appear as if they are being observed outdoors from a busy street corner.