Washington Square Arch
Washington Arch | |
40°43′52″N 73°59′50″W / 40.7312355°N 73.9971028°W | |
Location | Washington Square Park, Manhattan, New York City, United States |
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Designer | Architect: Stanford White Sculptors: Frederick MacMonnies (spandrel panels) Philip Martiny (keystone eagles) Hermon A. MacNeil (George Washington as Commander-in Chief Alexander Stirling Calder (George Washington as President) |
Builder | David H. King, Jr. |
Material | Tuckahoe marble |
Width | 57 ft (17 m) |
Height | 73.5 ft (22.4 m) |
Span | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
The Washington Square Arch, officially the Washington Arch,
Description
Washington Arch, constructed of white Tuckahoe marble, was conceived by Stanford White, who adapted the form of a Roman triumphal arch, with a design close to the 1st-century Arch of Titus in Rome. They were monuments which the Roman Republic and later emperors built throughout the empire to celebrate a victory or event. For example, the flying figures in the spandrels on either side of the arch are winged victories. The monument's total height is 77 feet (23 m). The piers stand 30 feet (9.1 m) apart and the arch opening is 47 feet (14 m) high. The iconography of the Arch centers on images of war and peace. On the frieze are 13 large stars and 42 small stars, interspersed with capital "W"s.
The inscription on the attic story reads:
Let us raise a standard to which the wise and the honest can repair. The event is in the hand of God.
— Washington
The north side of the eastern pier bears the
Upon the last stone is carved a huge "P" in honor of Ignacy Jan Paderewski, the famous Polish pianist and 3rd Prime Minister of Poland, who donated $4,500 collected from one of his concerts in New York.[2]
History
In 1889, a large plaster and wood memorial arch was erected over Fifth Avenue just north of Washington Square Park by local businessman and philanthropist
During the excavations for the eastern pier, human remains, a
By the late 20th century, the Washington Arch had become extensively defaced with spray-painted graffiti. It was cleaned and restored in 2003–04.[1]
In modern times, the Washington Square Arch has become an unofficial symbol of New York University.[7]
Gallery
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The north face of the Washington Square Arch
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South face of the Washington Arch at night
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George Washington as Commander-in-Chief (1914–1916) byHermon A. MacNeil
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George Washington as President (1917–1918) by Alexander Stirling Calder
See also
References
- ^ a b Gardner, Ralph Jr. (March 8, 2011). "Inside the Washington Arch". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ a b "The Monumental News" (PDF). Retrieved December 1, 2023.
- ^ Washington as President Archived November 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine from museumplanet.
- ^ Reynolds, Donald Martin, Monuments and Masterpieces: Histories and Views of Public Sculpture in New York City, New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1988, pp. 359–361
- ^ Buescher, John. "Architectural Homage." Teachinghistory.org. Accessed July 12, 2011.
- ^ Geismar, Joan H. (August 2005). "Washington Square Park: Phase 1A Archaeological Assessment" (PDF). New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. p. 24 (PDF p. 30). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 3, 2007. Retrieved October 1, 2007.
- ^ "NYU History Lesson: The Washington Square Arch". NYULocal. November 16, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2021.