[Reassembly of the George Washington Statue, Union Square Park, New York]

1929–30

As part of the redesign of lower Manhattan’s Union Square Park between 1929 and 1930, the equestrian statue of George Washington by Henry Kirke Brown was relocated from its original base close to vehicular traffic to its current position within the park’s more serene green space. These two photographs of the revered statue, captured in a moment of precariousness, challenge traditional ways of thinking of monuments as unwavering symbols of power. In fact, Abbott directs our attention to the three unknown laborers working atop the pedestal by centrally featuring their efforts within the photograph’s frame.

Artwork Details

Title: [Reassembly of the George Washington Statue, Union Square Park, New York]
Artist: Berenice Abbott (American, Springfield, Ohio 1898–1991 Monson, Maine)
Date: 1929–30
Medium: Gelatin silver print
Dimensions: Image: 8.2 x 5.3 cm (3 1/4 x 2 1/16 in.)
Classification: Photographs
Credit Line: Gift of Emanuel Gerard, 1977
Object Number: 1977.662.4
Rights and Reproduction: © Berenice Abbott / Commerce Graphics Ltd. Inc.
Curatorial Department: Photographs

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James Joyce, Berenice Abbott American, Gelatin silver print — James Joyce
Berenice Abbott
1928

Miss Grace Mayer, Berenice Abbott American, Gelatin silver print — Miss Grace Mayer
Berenice Abbott
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Max Ernst, Berenice Abbott American, Gelatin silver print — Max Ernst
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ca. 1929

Harness Shop Horse, Berenice Abbott American, Gelatin silver print — Harness Shop Horse
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