Present Day James Monroe Park Analysis

This primary document is a watercolor painting made in 1954 that depicts the commercial atmosphere encompassing the corner of 21st and Pennsylvania Ave. NW. More specifically, this painting features people walking about present-day James Monroe Park, as well as certain characteristics of everyday urban life (such as a local market, multiple-story buildings, ‘50s era automobiles, and a streetcar). This artwork was created by John A. Bryans, an American artist and educator whose work focuses on the ordinary happenings within cityscapes and rural settings that most people take for granted. With that said, Bryans likely wanted to emphasize both the simplicity and beauty of such a busy area of the city, which was–and still is–locally known as the