Lower Manhattan (Broad and Wall Streets), 1907
Lower Manhattan (Broad and Wall Streets), 2009
While slightly varied in perspective and dimensions, the picture I took matches Hassam’s painting because both are of the same street, featuring as a main landmark the New York Stock Exchange. The vanishing point in both images is somewhere behind the building at the next corner with the columns. In both images the viewer can see not quite three columns on that building in front of the vanishing point. Hassam’s point of view while painting would probably have been up higher, as the painting features mostly the tops of people’s heads, while mine includes their faces. The artist may also have been standing further back. Right now a great deal of construction and scaffolding occupies the place where he probably stood. Sunlight graces the intersection in his painting, as well, creating another difference. His view of the Stock exchange also lacked the classic elegance of September 2009’s Budweiser advertisement.
Dear Julia,
Very nice post. Hassam painted out of upper floor windows at times. He was also at liberty to erase people from his canvas.