Joseph Stella, a modernist who explored numerous styles and subjects, is best known for his images of the Brooklyn Bridge. He studied with William Merritt Chase at the New York School of Art. From 1905 to 1909 he worked as an illustrator, publishing his realist drawings in magazines. Stella returned to visit Italy in 1909 after coming to America in 1896 and became associated with the Italian Futurists; he began to incorporate Futurist principles into his art. In the 1930s, Stella worked on the Federal Art Project and later traveled to Europe, North Africa, and the West Indies, locations that inspired him to work in various modes.