In the course of researching this blog, I’ve noticed that a lot of American artists, particularly those associated with New York City, like the Ashcan School, have at one time or another undertaken paintings and drawings of Washington Square Park, so I thought I’d do a short post that subject.
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| A recent photograph © Poul Webb |
The streets surrounding the square became one of the city's most desirable residential areas in the 1830s. The protected row of Greek Revival style houses on the north side of the park remain from that time. In 1849 and 1850 the parade ground was reworked into the first park on the site. More paths were added and a new fence was built around it. In 1871, it came under the control of the newly-formed New York City Department of Parks, and it was re-designed again, with curving rather than straight secondary paths.
In 1889, to celebrate the centennial of George Washington’s inauguration as President of the United States, a large plaster and wood Memorial Arch was erected over Fifth Avenue just north of the park. The temporary plaster and wood arch was so popular that in 1892 a permanent marble arch, designed by the New York architect Stanford White, was erected, standing 23 metres high. The inscription on the arch reads: “Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the honest can repair. The event is in the hand of God.” Washington. White modelled the arch after the 1806 Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In 1918 two statues of George Washington were added to the north side. The first fountain was completed in 1852. The fountain was replaced in 1872. The monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi was unveiled in 1888.
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| William Glackens c1908 Washington Square Park oil on canvas 35.6 x 47 cm |
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| Carl Gustaf Nelson oil on board |
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| Everett Shinn 1915 conté crayon and watercolour |
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| Everett Shinn 1952 |
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| Everett Shinn Washington Square, New York at Boston |
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| Everett Shinn c1945 oil on canvas |
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| George Luks charcoal on paper |
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| John Sloan 1923 Washington Arch etching 25.7 x 17.3 cm |
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| John Sloan 1925 Sculpture in Washington Square etching |
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| John Sloan 1926 Buses in Washington Square etching |
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| John Sloan Easter Eve, Washington Square etching 34.6 x 27.8 cm |
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| Paul Cornoyer oil on canvas |
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| Paul Cornoyer oil on canvas |
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| Paul Cornoyer oil on canvas |
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| Paul Cornoyer oil on canvas |
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| Paul Cornoyer c1908 Late Afternoon oil on canvas |
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| Paul Cornoyer Winter oil on canvas |
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| Paul Cornoyer oil on canvas |
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| William Glackens 1910 Descending from the Bus oil on canvas |
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| William Glackens 1910 Washington Square |
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| William Glackens 1910 Washington Square |
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| William Glackens 1911-12 The Arch oil on canvas |
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| William Glackens c1912 Italo-American Celebration oil on canvas |
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| William Glackens 1910 Washington Square |
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| Bela de Tirefort 1938 Washington Square oil on panel |
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| Fernand Lungren 1897 Washington Square North |
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| William Glackens1912 March Day oil on canvas |
