A nighttime view of Bleecker and Carmine Streets

It’s a dark night at this moment in time on the corner of Bleecker and Carmine Streets in 1915.

But there’s warmth and light from the shop windows and the apartments above, which illuminate small groups of Italian immigrants, who had settled into this part of the Village.

Luksbleeckerandcarminestreets2

Ashcan School artist and Greenwich Villager George Luks is the painter, and he often depicted immigrant crowds on city street corners.

Are we looking at the corner just across from Our Lady of Pompeii Church?

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17 Responses to “A nighttime view of Bleecker and Carmine Streets”

  1. FM Says:

    That location was my immediate thought.

  2. Lorraine Says:

    What a beautiful painting. In fact, there have been a number of paintings posted on this site that I’ve never seen before. Is this one in a museum or a private collection? At any rate, thanks for sharing!!

  3. Mike Says:

    I believe it is that corner where Spaghetto is. Looks like those bricked up windows the corner that are at a 45 degree angle

  4. Anthony Says:

    Yes I know the corner well and can
    Confirm it is indeed the northwest corner of bleeker and carmine seen from the southeast corner. Was joes pizza from maybe the fifties to this century. Now some chain pizza if thats still so I’m not sure.

  5. doublewhirler Says:

    Just visiting the blog for the first time; love your eye for detail and mystery and appreciate your detective work. Great work!

  6. ephemeralnewyork Says:

    Thank you Doublewhirler. Looking at your lovely photos of Croatia makes me want to hop a plane . . . .

  7. beforemybigbreak Says:

    I always wondered about that street and I always try to imagine how it was centuries ago because my father trained me to think that way when traveling or walking on old street. Now you are adding the facts to my imagination. Thanks!

  8. ephemeralnewyork Says:

    It’s a great Village corner, very recognizable!

  9. nabeguy Says:

    I believe Mike has it right which would make it the northeast corner of Carmine and Bleecker. Carmine seems to be sloping down on the right as it descends towards Varick Street.

  10. matt Says:

    I was wondering if the angled building with the two large lit windows could be on the section of Carmine opposite Fr Demo square. There is a curve on Carmine around there. Also the lit area of the buillding next to the two large windows appears to have 4 columns and there was a church with a pillared portico on Carmine opposite Minetta lane which was replaced by Our Lady of Pompei in 1926. It would make sense to have a large group of people as seen in the picture gathered outside the church maybe after a service.

  11. catherine johnson Says:

    Can you tell me the very best archive to find images of Green
    Village in the 1950? I love your blog.. I would appreciate this GREATLY!

  12. The crowded market on Hester Street in 1905 | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] favorite part of George Luks’ richly detailed “Street Scene (Hester Street)” are the plucked chickens hanging upside on on the right side of the […]

  13. Buying produce from Bleecker Street pushcarts | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] or so years earlier in 1915, Ashcan painter George Luks also took a stab at depicting the shops and crowds in this nighttime view of the opposite corner of Bleecker and Carmine […]

  14. A Midcentury artist’s muted Manhattan beauty | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] seen paintings of Washington Square, Greenwich Village markets, and the New York Harbor before. But through the eyes and brush of Bela de Tirefort, these and […]

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