In his albums and drawings from his time in New York between 1920 and 1922, Joaquín Torres García exhibited an agile and fluid style of drawing based on synthetic and assured strokes of the brush and pen.

In this drawing the model is depicted in profile, reminiscent of the Greek style, that is sharply outlined against an ink wash background. Its classical strength is tempered by the rich colors, her dark wavy hair, and her printed hat: a garment that is possibly part of a sporting outfit—characteristic of American high-society—granting her fashionable grace and identifying her as an elegant young woman.

New York Girl is related to other drawings of the same period and to the pages of Torres García’s albums: simple and descriptive compositions of bright colors made with agile strokes that capture the flow of life. The work might also be linked to the classicist representations of the Noucentista movement due to its clean lines. These traits began to reappear in Torres García’s paintings during a short period after he left New York and during his time in Italy.