Broadway & Ann

Broadway & Ann

This is a lithograph of the intersection of Broadway and Ann Street, which is an intersection right before the location of City Hall. I found this fascinating because it was done by a German born immigrant, which helps emphasize how people viewed NYC and began to understand it. This depiction features many significant structures of the time including, Trinity Church, St. Paul's Chapel, and Barnum’s American Museum. I think this is significant because of the many occurrences Broadway has had in the works we have read. I think the main thing to take away from this image is the underlying context. In this lithograph, one of he most popular museums of the time is featured, which emphasizes that entertainment connotation of Broadway. In today's world if one hears Broadway they think of entertainment and various stage shows. I think is significant because back in the 1850's people were coming looking for opportunity and with the city constantly growing with bustling immigrants and new structures the opportunities became endless. I also believe the details of the people in the picture are significant as they are not only featured in an extremely busy intersection, but also displayed in an extremely wealthy manner. Many of the works we have read have discussed the wealth of that era and the expectations that were associated with it, but there was also this hidden poverty that was present at the time and is now beginning to be introduced in our readings (“Mrs. Manstey’s View”). Finally, even more details of the people I noticed were the ways they were dressed, which was proper. The women were expected to wear extravagant dresses, while the men strutted around in their top hats and long coats. I just think this also plays off of the gender roles of the time and how women were expected to be proper and stay home, while the men did the work in the bustling city - this also being related to the Old Maid by Edith Wharton.

August Köllner

http://visualizingnyc.org/broadway-and-ann/over-time/1850s-2/

Goupil & Co.

October 22, 2015

Taylor Caldwell

1850