138th Street & Broadway (Riverside Church)
Daniel Hauben, Oil on Canvas, 2007
On loan from the artist
Harlem is one of New York City’s most vibrant neighborhoods. During the 1920s, it was the birthplace of a cultural renaissance that has continued to influence artists, musicians, writers and architects to this day.
About the Artist: Daniel Hauben (1956-present) is an award-winning artist whose works have appeared in galleries around New York City. He is best known for his oil paintings that capture the vibrancy of New York City’s streets and neighborhoods.
Autumn
Craig McPherson, Oil on Canvas, 1980
On loan from the Museum of the City of New York. Gift of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, Hassam and Speicher Purchase Fund, 1983.
Throughout its history, New York City’s iconic skylines have provided inspiration to countless painters, poets, and writers who have constantly reinterpreted the City’s many diverse vistas, neighborhoods, and people.
About the Artist: Craig McPherson (1948- present) is known for his murals, paintings and mezzotint engravings of New York City which reflect his thirty years as a resident there.
Broadway Downtown
Steven Katz (1951-), Oil on Canvas, 1989
On loan from the Museum of the City of New York. Gift of Dr. & Mrs. William Perlow, 1996.
Broadway runs the length of Manhattan, through the Bronx and ends north of Sleepy Hollow in Westchester. The route dates from pre-colonial times and was used by Native Americans.
About the Artist: Steven Katz is a contemporary artist known for his realist and expressive cityscapes and street scenes of New York City.
On loan from the Museum of the City of New York. Gift of Dr. & Mrs. William Perlow, 1996.
Building the 8th Avenue Subway
Arthur Weindorf, Oil on Cotton, 20th Century
On loan from the New York Historical Society
The New York City subway system is the largest public transportation system in America. The current system has over 800 miles of track and carries over 5 million riders a day.
About the Artist: Arthur Weindorf (1885-1979) of Long Island City, began his artistic career as a cartoonist, then became a designer and engineer for the City of New York’s Public Service Commission. In 1919 he built his first subway model, and also made models for the 1939-1940 World’s Fair. Weindorf’s illustrations and maps of subways, as well as his non-subway-related works, were widely exhibited during his lifetime.
Junction of the Bowery and Broadway, 1828
Albertus Del Orient Browere, Oil on Canvas, 1885
On loan from the Museum of the City of New York. Gift of J. Clarence Davies.
By 1790, New York City was the nation’s most populous city, which it remains today. In 1811, the City adopted a plan that established the current grid system of streets.
About the Artist: Albertus Del Orient Browere (1814-1887) of Tarrytown, New York was the son of a sculptor. Browere was a largely self-taught painter who established himself in New York City and is well-known for eight paintings of scenes from the writings of Washington Irving.
Manhattan Contrasts
Everett Longley Warner, Oil on Canvas, 1917
On loan from the New York Historical Society
New York City became a “vertical city” with the construction of its first skyscrapers. Today, New York is home to more than 220 buildings that are 45 stories or higher.
About the Artist: Everett Longley Warner (1877-1963) was an important figure in the American Impressionist movement and was an active member of the art colony at Old Lyme, Connecticut. He also designed camouflage for ships for the U.S. Navy during the First and Second World Wars.
Temples of God and Gold
Frederick Knecht Detwiller, Oil on Canvas, 1923
On loan from the Museum of the City of New York. Collection of Robert R. Preato, 1991.
For over four centuries, New York City has been home to some of the most important religious, commercial, and cultural sites on earth.
About the Artist: Frederick Knecht Detwiller (1882–1953) was a graduate of Lafayette College who turned to painting while studying architecture in Paris. He established studios in New York City and New Harbor, Maine. A painter of rural and urban landscapes, Detwiller was artist-in-residence at Lafayette from 1948 until his death in 1953.
Times Square, 10:10 p.m.
René Bouché, Oil on Canvas, 1960
On loan from the Museum of the City of New York. Gift of René R. Bouché, 1961.
Times Square received its name when the New York Times located its offices there in 1904. The tradition of lowering a brightly lit ball on New Year’s Eve dates to 1907.
About the Artist: René Bouché (1905-1963) was a master of social portraiture. Born in Prague, Bouché is best known for his work for Vogue (Condé Nast) and his illustrations for Saks Fifth Avenue and Elizabeth Arden. His work is deeply tied to the visual culture of New York City.