From Portraits to Puddles, 1: Introduction & Ericsson

Introduction I find Reflecting Absence, the memorial on the site of the World Trade Center, profoundly  unsatisfying. If you do, too, this essay will help you understand why landscape architecture…

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Manhattan Bridge: Almost 99 Years Old

The Manhattan Bridge, connecting Canal Street in Manhattan with Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, opened for business on the last day of 1909. Its 6,855-foot length carries four lanes of traffic…

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National Gallery, London: Five Favorites

About the National Gallery Unlike the Louvre and the Prado, whose earliest holdings came from royalty, the National Gallery evolved from a collection of 38 paintings purchased by the British…

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William Shakespeare, Central Park

This essay is adapted from Chapter 37 of Outdoor Monuments of Manhattan: A Historical Guide. I’ve kept cross-references to other chapters in the book, all of which will eventually be updated and…

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The Dene Shelter (Central Park Maintenance)

The rustic Dene Shelter, sitting high on a rocky outcrop, is a great place to enjoy a splendid view and think about how many, many things could go wrong in…

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Uffizi Gallery, Florence: Five Favorites

About the Uffizi The Uffizi Gallery in Florence is housed in a huge complex whose core was commissioned by Cosimo I de' Medici from Giorgio Vasari. Vasari (who is today…

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Andrew Haswell Green Bench, Central Park

Who most influenced the shape of Central Park in its early years? There was Egbert Ludovicus Viele, whose detailed topographical study of the site helped make the park’s design a…

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Henry Kitchell Webster (1875-1932), Novelist and Short-Story Writer

Republished Webster novels The Sky-Man. Available from Amazon; other stores via Ingram (9781088271353 print, 9781088271384 ebook). A King in Khaki. Available from Amazon; other stores via Ingram (9781088270929 print, 9781088270950 ebook).…

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