The Artist Historical Perspective

My photo matches Hassam’s “A Winter Day on Brooklyn Bridge” because it views the bridge at a spot very close to the manner Hassam portrays it in his painting. The bridge is in the middle-right side of the painting and photo and i believe i have similar vanishing points. The Lamp posts are almost identical and closest post has its head almost level with the bridge in the painting as well as my photo. There are, however, key differences: the bench in the painting is missing, there is no bicycle lane in Hassam’s painting, and the ropes are not there as well. similarly it is clear that the season is different as well as the painting takes place in the winter.

My photo is taken in the intersection of 5th avenue and Broadway, the same spot portrayed in Hassam’s Spring Morning in the Heart of the City. The principles of detection told me where to take the photo based on the angle of the red building at the center of the painting, behind the tree, as well as the the clock by the sidewalk. My photo is similar to the painting in the perspective and angles from which it is shot and the positioning of the red building and trees. The painting seems to have been painted through a higher vantage point which accounts for the discrepancy in the relationships between the clock and the red building, though i matched them up as best i could. The street is slightly different, now it is paved in the middle to desperate two lanes, and the pillared building in the left are not there anymore. Most obviously there are many new buildings, stands, and posts in the photo and some buildings seem to have changed (like behind the red building) or been painted differently than they appeared however, the clock, sidewalk, park, trees, and red building, are all very similar to how they were painted.

(i hope its alright i used two paintings, i was passing by 5th and roadway in a taxi and couldn’t resist making the attempt)