Angel Hunting in the 5 Boroughs (Manhattan)
February 9, 2019
🔔 Every Time A Bell Rings…
A New York City angel gets stalked by me.
Did you happen to notice I never stalked the angels in the 5th borough? This is partly because, by design, Manhattan doesn’t have any of my favorite kind of angel… the grieving angel. In fact, rural cemeteries began in the historically more remote locales of New York City to solve the space issues of Manhattan island, where more folks were congregated and there was no room for the dead bodies. But Manhattan has other kinds of angels, triumphant angels.
And a beautiful teal sky. One of my favorite places in Manhattan, Grand Central Station… well, more accurately, directly under the Grand Central Station ceiling.
That’s Permiexious, the half-brother to the Greek god of airborn trout.
And that’s Aeoloptus, cloud bordered half-pegasus
What is this color called? I’ll name it Teal with gold stars that you can only see when you arch your neck and act like a tourist.
Outside, the exquisite Glory of Commerce built in 1914 featuring Mercury in the center, Hercules on the left and my gal Minerva on the right. It was designed by a French sculptor whose neurotic standards of architecture forbid him to endure the anxiety of viewing our New World metropolis. (source)
Minerva’s thoughtfulness steals the show. Oh, how many years a woman’s wisdom has been on the sidelines.
A terrible new high rise on its way up overshadows the glory.
No angels, but Art Deco is so damn cool. This is the Chrysler Building entrance.
I was trying to capture all of its neat details. Makes me want to dress like a flapper and do the Charleston right there on Lexington Avenue. Ah Manhattan, you used to be so cool.
More angel hunting in yet another gorgeous space on Manhattan, St. Patrick’s Cathedral. One of two cathedrals I wanted to scour for angels.
But then the arches happened. Geez, I wanted to let a balloon go in there. The stained glass was impressive yes–and contained angels–but I got lost in the neo-Gothic-ness, its sharp textures and the collective benevolence oozing from the hushed air. How would you design the space that held all of your beliefs?
Purposeful angels abound
The best angel was at the Sherman Monument outside of The Plaza hotel in front of Central Park, aka the Grand Army Plaza of Manhattan. Funded by the Estate of Joseph Pulitzer, it is amazing that this bronze sculpture, so crisp and shiny, was built in 1903. She is Victory. And you can kind of tell.
Those wings though.
I’ve been wanting to re-check out Angel of the Waters since falling in love with metal angels. She guards the Bethesda Terrace on the Croton Aqueduct in Central Park.
She’s pretty androgynous.
Hmm, I have some critiques on those wings.
I planned to head all the way up to Morningside Heights to see my Alma Mater at Columbia University–Athena, from France in the late 1800’s. Perfection. I used to visit her when I was too early for class and she magically made me feel like the tuition was justified. And when I was up there, I was supposed to go to another cathedral.
But I got too cold and hungry. I needed something warm, fresh and flavorful: Le Botaniste on the Upper East Side. A bowl of brown rice, coconut curry peanut sauce, steamed vegetables, and kimchi. Just what I needed.
And a happy ending on the way back to the R train, a red velvet cupcake from Sprinkles Bakery. Goodbye angels in Manhattan.
[…] his work look familiar? It should! He did Columbia University’s Alma Mater, on my blog a few posts ago, as well as tons of other New York City monuments and a little known sculpture called The Lincoln […]