A Ghostly Outline on Third Avenue
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
A Lone Survivor: The East Village Tenement Immortalized by Berenice Abbott
The bustling East Village of today is a far cry from the neighborhood captured in Berenice Abbott‘s iconic 1937 photograph, “Pawn Shop, 48 Third Avenue.” While the surrounding buildings have long since been replaced, one resilient tenement, standing proudly at 48 Third Avenue, remains a tangible link to that bygone era.
A glimpse into the Past
Researching the building’s history revealed few remnants of its past. A structure built before 1850 next door had been demolished and modernized,leaving no historical photographs for comparison.However, the existing tenement reveals a rich history, marking the beginning of a row of shops built largely during the 19th century. This very row achieved fame through the lens of Berenice Abbott, a masterful chronicler of New York City’s transformation.A Glimpse into a Bustling East Village Past
A captivating photograph from 1940 offers a glimpse into the vibrant street life of the East Village. The image captures a stretch of Third Avenue between East 10th and 11th Streets, showcasing a lively mix of shops and businesses that once thrived in the neighborhood.
A Cornucopia of Commerce
The photograph reveals a vibrant tableau of commerce. On the corner, number 48 Third Avenue (also 95 East 10th street), stands the Stuyvesant Curiosity Shop, overflowing with a engaging array of goods, from shotguns and rifles to telescopes, some even displayed in outdoor cases.
Next door at 50 Third Avenue, a pawn shop beckons, while Sigmund Klein’s Fat Men’s Shop further down the block offers clothing for larger gentlemen. Interestingly, while the name might be considered insensitive today, the shop enjoyed remarkable longevity, operating from 1895 until the 1970s, according to a
Village preservation post.This image serves as a poignant reminder of the evolution of New York City’s ever-changing neighborhoods and the businesses that once defined them.
## A Glimpse into New York’s Artistic past: The Tenth street Scene Though today just a single tenement stands on the corner of east 10th Street and Third Avenue,a 1937 photograph offers a glimpse into a vibrant past.This bustling intersection, once home to a rainbow of storefronts, played a pivotal role in the progress of a groundbreaking artistic movement known as the New York School.
A Glimpse into 1930s Third Avenue
In the heart of Manhattan’s East Village, a striking 1937 photograph captures a row of colorful shops standing shoulder-to-shoulder along Third Avenue. This image, taken by Berenice Abbott, offers a fascinating window into the bustling life of a bygone era. One especially captivating shop stands out in the photograph – a secondhand curiosity shop located at 48 Third Avenue. By the time the Depression hit, this address had transitioned from its early 20th-century days as a grocery store owned by john Hoops.
A Century of commerce
Remarkably, one of the shops in the photograph – New York Central Art Supply at 62 Third Avenue – endured for over a century after its founding in 1905. It finally closed its doors in 2016, marking the end of an era.Located on Manhattan’s Third Avenue, the building at Number 48 stands as a relic of New York City’s past. while the surrounding historic row has long disappeared, this tenement building endures, a testament to the city’s constant evolution. Its intricate terra cotta designs beneath the cornice and distinctive Romanesque top-floor windows tell a story of bygone eras.
The tenement at 48 Third Avenue serves as a powerful reminder of the ever-changing landscape of New York city. It evokes a sense of time elapsed and of a city constantly reinventing itself while honoring vestiges of its remarkable past.
This is a fantastic start to a blog post about the history of Tenth Street and its connection to the New York School of art! You’ve effectively combined historical context, visual storytelling with the photos, and engaging writing.
Here are a few suggestions that could elevate your post even further:
**Expand on key points:**
* **The new York School:** Provide a more in-depth clarification of the New York School movement. Who were the key figures? What were their defining characteristics and influences? What impact did they have on the art world?
* **The March Gallery:** since you mention it, delve deeper into the significance of the March Gallery. What made it a magnet for artists? Did any specific famous works or exhibitions originate there?
* **The Change:** Highlight the contrast between the bustling Third Avenue depicted in the photos and its transformation into the artistic hub it became. Was this a gradual shift or a more sudden change? What factors contributed to this evolution?
**Enhance the Narrative:**
* **Personalize the Story:** Consider incorporating anecdotes or interviews with people who were part of the Tenth Street scene, either as artists, gallery owners, or patrons. This would add a human touch and make the history more relatable.
* **Connect Past and Present:** Since only one tenement remains, explore the current state of the block. How does it reflect its past? Are there any plaques, memorials, or other reminders of the vibrant artistic community that once thrived there?
**Visual Enhancements:**
* **Captions:** Add informative and engaging captions to the photos. Identify specific landmarks,businesses,or individuals if possible.
* **Variety:** Consider adding additional photos or illustrations to create a more visually dynamic experience for the reader.
**Call to Action:**
* **Encourage interaction:** Prompt readers to share their own memories or insights about the Tenth Street scene in the comments.
* **Further Exploration:** Provide links to additional resources for those who want to learn more about the New York School, the artists involved, or the history of the East Village.
By incorporating these suggestions, you can turn this already compelling draft into a truly captivating exploration of a pivotal moment in New York City’s artistic history.
This is a captivating past article excerpt about Third Avenue in New York City during the 1930s! HereS a breakdown of what makes it interesting, along with some thoughts:
**Strengths:**
* **Visually Rich:** The use of Berenice Abbott’s photograph instantly transports the reader to 1930s New York. It’s a powerful window into the bustling street scene.
* **Historical Detail:**
* The mention of John Hoops’ grocery store adds a compelling human element, showing how businesses changed hands and adapted over time.
* The fact that New York Central Art Supply lasted for over a century adds another layer of history and context.
* **Focus on the Ephemeral:**
* The article highlights how much of that historic row is gone, emphasizing the fleeting nature of buildings and urban landscapes.
* **Architectural Observation:**
* The descriptions of the remaining tenement building’s details – the terra cotta,Romanesque windows – enrich the reader’s understanding of the architecture of the time.
**Possible Enhancements:**
* **More about Berenice Abbott:** Expanding on Abbott’s work and her interest in documenting New York City during this era woudl add depth.
* **Contextualizing the Depression:** while the Depression is mentioned, delving deeper into how it impacted businesses like the curiosity shop and pawn shops would be insightful.
* **Wider Impact:** Exploring the broader change of Third Avenue over time – how did it evolve after the 1930s? – could provide a more complete picture.
**Overall:**
This is a engaging piece that captures a moment in time and makes readers wonder about the stories behind the businesses and the people who lived and worked there.
let me know if you want to explore any of these ideas further! I’m always interested in digging into historical narratives.
