← View All

Tag: marcel duchamp

Berenice Abbott’s Changing New York

“The camera alone can catchthe swift surfaces of thecities today and speaks alanguage intelligible to all.” Berenice Abbott The work of Greenwich Village photographer Berenice Abbott (July 17, 1898-December 9, 1991) stands as an important bridge between the photographic circles and cultural hubs of Paris and New York. Born in Springfield, Ohio, Abbott moved to […]

Women Crush Wednesday: Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven, the Baroness Who Shocked Society

Have you heard of the incomparable Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Lorinhoven? Interestingly, many may not have, yet. But her star is on the ascent at long last! A German-born provocateur, fashion plate, poet, DIY junk sculptor, proto-punk and feminist performance artist, the Baroness rode her creativity to the edge of madness in the early decades of […]

John Sloan: Village Visionary

Many artists have been inspired by the scenes of life in New York City, particularly Lower Manhattan. But perhaps no artist captures the feeling of New York during the hot, heavy days of August like the painter John Sloan. Sloan was one of the leading figures of the “Ashcan School,” a loose collection of artists who […]

Webster Hall’s First Ball (of many)

Webster Hall at 125 East 11th street has a remarkable past.  Started as a social club in 1887, it is without a doubt one of New York’s most famous gathering spots. And that long history of bringing people together under one roof had a pretty auspicious start. In February of 1887, the new protected cruiser […]

    The Pepper Pot Inn, “The Realest Thing in Bohemian Atmosphere”

    When searching through the chronicles of Greenwich Village history, some things almost seem too Village-y to be true, with all their quirky details and theatrical anecdotes. A prime example: The Pepper Pot Inn at 146 West 4th Street, a 1920s multi-level restaurant that became a sensation. Purchased in 1918 by Carlyle “Doc” Sherlock and his […]

      Artists Homes of the Greenwich Village Historic District

      This is one in a series of posts marking the 50th anniversary of the designation of the Greenwich Village Historic District. Click here to check out our year-long activities and celebrations. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the designation of The Greenwich Village Historic District (GVHD). The GVHD contains a treasure-trove of important history, […]

      James Renwick, Jr., 19th Century Architect Extraordinaire!

      James Renwick, Jr. was born on November 11, 1818, in New York City.  He would become one of the most successful American architects of the 19th century, designing such high profile buildings as New York City’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Smithsonian “Castle” in Washington D.C., and Grace Church, right here in our neighborhood on Broadway […]

        A Stroll Down West 14th Street: The Residences

        West 14th Street has a multilayered history preserved in its architecture which reflects the development of the surrounding area as well as New York City itself. West 14th Street is also a border street, separating Greenwich Village to the south from Chelsea to the north. Save Chelsea’s President Laurence Frommer and I teamed up for […]

        Remembering the Arch (and other) Conspirators

        On January 23, 1917, poet Gertrude Drick, painters John Sloan and Marcel Duchamp, and actors Russell Mann, Betty Turner, and Charles Ellis climbed to the top of Washington Square Arch. Drick read a declaration of independence for the “Free and Independent Republic of Washington Square” with the intent of having a neighborhood free from mainstream convention. 

        Happy Birthday Marcel Duchamp!

        This is an updated reposting of a blog by former staffer, Lauren Snetiker, July 28th, 2015 Today marks what would have been Marcel Duchamp’s 130th Birthday. Duchamp was born in France on July 28, 1887, trained as a painter in Paris until 1905, and spent much of his adult life living in Paris and New […]

          Happy Birthday, Marcel Duchamp!

          Marvel Duchamp was born in France on July 28, 1887, trained as a painter in Paris until 1905, and spent much of his adult life living in Paris and New York City. His early work was Post-Impressionist, but in 1914, Duchamp introduced his readymades. These common objects, sometimes altered, presented as works of art, had […]

          How Bohemians Got Their Name

          On April 17, 1423,  an event took place which, implausibly enough, lead to the creation of the modern notion — or at least nomenclature — of ‘bohemia.’ ‘Bohemian,’ as commonly used in the West for the last two centuries, means a person who lives an unconventional lifestyle, often with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic, […]