The men commissioned the best engravers of the time. They selected subjects that were part
of the NYC scene at the time or part of the legendary history of New York
City. Those buildings and people
were iconic to the city. The men
called themselves Iconophiles.
The Society of Iconophiles was limited to 10 members. Pretty exclusive. The first formal meeting was in January
1895 and they continued meeting and publishing prints of NYC for 24 years. Exactly 101 engravings were made before
each copper plate was cancelled.
It’s fascinating to look at old New York from the turn of that century.
On
my way to and from work, I can see 5 buildings that are considered iconic
today. They aren’t included in any
of the series because they were built too late for the Iconophiles to recognize
their future icon status:
1.)
main building of the NY Public Library with those calm and
stately lions guarding the entrance – opened in 1911
2.)
the entirely
magnificent Grand Central Terminal – 1913
3.)
Chrysler Building
with the falcon-like gargoyle faces thrust outward, looking in all directions –
1928
4.)
Empire State Building – construction started in 1929
5.)
the United Nations Headquarters Building – green glass on the
East River and undergoing extensive remodeling at this very moment – first
completed in 1952
What was iconic at the turn of the century?
The Academy of Design was one of the architectural treasures then. The building was constructed in the
1860s. The architect, W.B. Wright,
was inspired by the design of Italian palaces. That building on 23rd Street and 4th
Avenue was palatial. It was a
sumptuous home for the academy.
The National Academy of Design predated the Venetian palace
building. It was organized by
rebel group of artists who had withdrawn from the American Academy of Fine Arts
in 1816, and formed their own New York Drawing Association. They wanted an organization free of the
domination of “business men” and political figures. Their idea was to have a place to study art and exchange
ideas and social pleasantries with other artists. The New York Drawing Association
became the National Academy of Design.
Guess who the first president was.
Samuel Morse, inventor of the telegraph and one of the rebel artist
leaders!
The building housing National Academy of Design was a
landmark in New York. At the end
of the 19th century it was sold to the Metropolitan Insurance Co.,
but it is captured forever as the National Academy of Design in the Society of
Iconophiles’ graphic time machine.
relevant links:
The New York Historical Society has an almost complete
collection of prints published during the period 1895 – 1929. Information about the society, about
the collection, as well as a list of engraving titles is available: http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/nyhs/iconophiles/iconophiles.html
An excerpt from The Line of Beauty: The Society of the
Iconophiles and New York City 1894 – 1939 written by Douglas Tallack and
published by Oak Knoll Press: http://www.oakknoll.com/resources/bookexcerpts/108109.pdf
Scanned journals from 1889 describing National Academy of
Design, its antecedents, and the building: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25608025?seq=7
Current website for today’s National Academy of Design: http://www.nationalacademy.org/
Jstor scans old stuff that we still want to see, and more: http://about.jstor.org/individuals
Blog Art Now and Then has a post that includes some info
about the National Academy of Design: http://art-now-and-then.blogspot.com/2012/11/new-yorks-art-students-league.html
Modern architectural look at renovating the academy: http://www.bscarchitecture.com/565-NAD/565_01.htm
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