East 19th Street between Third Avenue and Irving Place is an enchanting block with lovely renovated carriage houses and pretty townhouses.
And above the entrance at number 149 is this colorful depiction of a couple of giraffes in front of a tree, then two more behind it.
Who painted the bas relief there? This Flickr page might offer some insight—or at least some background on a very artistic-minded block.
Tags: animal adornments, animal images on buildings, animals on NYC buildings, East 19th Street, giraffes of New York, New York street
April 19, 2012 at 5:10 am |
Is it nit-picking to say that does not look like a painting as much as a bas-relief that was colored?
April 19, 2012 at 2:03 pm |
No, you’re right! I guess I couldn’t see very well yesterday.
April 19, 2012 at 6:22 pm |
I love the giraffes, that is a wonderful window, I am happy to see that it will be saved for years to come!!!
April 19, 2012 at 6:52 pm |
If you go to google maps street view, for 149 East 19th, there it is!
April 20, 2012 at 7:44 pm |
This as done by Robert Winthrop Chanler. He did some amazing work (bas relief ceiling, flaming plaster fireplace, stained glass windows) in Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney’s private art studio hayloft on MacDougal Alley – part of the original Whitney Museum and now the New York Studio School. The windows are no longer there but for sale at a shop on 10th street. He also did amazing ceiling bas relief at the Vizcaya Estate in Miami.
April 20, 2012 at 7:48 pm |
Cool, thanks for the insight. I keep meaning to do a post on the original Whitney Museum.