Outdoor Monuments of Manhattan: A Historical Guide (Paperback)

~ Dianne Durante (Author)
Key Phrases: tentative theme, granite pedestal, portrait sculpture, New York, United States, Saint Gaudens (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Anyone whose curiosity has ever been piqued by the peculiar mixture of historical statues that ornament the grounds of Central Park will find Outdoor Monuments by Dianne Durante a satisfying read... The entries provide background on each work's origin, explaining, for example, how a statue of the medieval Polish king Jagiello came to be in New York alongside more predictable allegorical and American patriotic figures. A brief history of the subject is also provided, including enough lively anecdotes and obscure facts to entice all readers." -- Sculpture Magazine

"Outdoor Monuments" is well written, well researched, well thought-out, funny, and often refreshingly original, and will help any interested New Yorker know about the wondrous monuments that dot the city. -- NY Sun

"[Durante's] guidebook is a perfect walking-tour accompaniment to help New Yorkers and visitors find, identify and better appreciate statues famous and obscure (honoring, among others, the `father of gynecology' and the general who had an unremarkable military and business career but composed taps, the bugle call). . . . Durante winsomely places 54 monuments in historical and artistic perspective. We learn that a trumpet is an allegory for announcing fame, that the monument to Admiral Farragut in Madison Square Park altered the course of American sculpture, that the figure with the winged hat atop Grand Central Terminal is Mercury and that the statue of Atlas at Rockefeller Center was reviled when it was unveiled in 1937 because it supposedly resembled Mussolini. Let's hope Ms. Durante follows up in the other four boroughs." -- The New York Times

Review

"[Durante’s] guidebook is a perfect walking-tour accompaniment to help New Yorkers and visitors find, identify and better appreciate statues famous and obscure (honoring, among others, the ‘father of gynecologyÂ’ and the general who had an unremarkable military and business career but composed ‘Taps,Â’ the bugle call). . . . Durante winsomely places 54 monuments in historical and artistic perspective. We learn that a trumpet is an allegory for announcing fame, that the monument to Admiral Farragut in Madison Square Park altered the course of American sculpture, that the figure with the winged hat atop Grand Central Terminal is Mercury and that the statue of Atlas at Rockefeller Center was reviled when it was unveiled in 1937 because it supposedly resembled Mussolini. Let’s hope Ms. Durante follows up in the other four boroughs."
- The New York Times

"Outdoor Monuments of Manhattan is a primer on getting to know our city's monuments. . . . Each entry has a uniform structure. It contains a photo, vital stats (year dedicated, size, materials), an ‘About the Sculpture’ section, and an ‘About the Subject’ section, as well as a carefully chosen boxed quotation culled from an old book or newspaper that pertains to the subject. . . . Outdoor Monuments of Manhattan is well written, well researched, well-thought-out, funny, and often refreshingly original, and will help any interested New Yorker know about the wondrous monuments that dot the city."
- New York Sun

"Anyone whose curiosity has ever been piqued by the peculiar mixture of historical statues that ornament the grounds of Central Park will find Outdoor Monuments by Dianne Durante a satisfying read. . . . The entries provide background on each work’s origin, explaining, for example, how a statue of the medieval Polish king Jagiello came to be in New York alongside more predictable allegorical and American patriotic figures. A brief history of the subject is also provided, including enough lively anecdotes and obscure facts to entice all readers."
- Sculpture Magazine

"[Durante] tackles her task in the manner of a walking tour. . . . The language of the book is friendly and chatty, as if the author were in front of you, conducting an on-site lecture. . . . The purpose of the book is to encourage people to go and see the wealth of outdoor sculpture in Manhattan, and the book treats this purpose with the enthusiasm the subjects deserve."
- The Art Book

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Product Details

• Paperback: 302 pages
• Publisher: NYU Press; illustrated edition edition (February 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814719872
• ISBN-13: 978-0814719879
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #377,077 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Major Achievement, February 25, 2007

By	Sylvia Bokor (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Apart from Ayn Rand's own work in esthetics (The Romantic Manifesto---and several other articles outside of it) and Dr. Leonard Peikoff's Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, Dr. Dianne Durante's Outdoor Monuments of Manhattan is the first published work to apply some of Miss Rand's revolutionary esthetics to works of art. This is a MAJOR achievement.

In order to shape a culture dominated by by a rational philosophy, the Objectivist ethics is THE most important idea to get into the culture. And a number of outstanding philosophers have each, independent of one another, done admirable work in this area.

The second most important idea essential to changing our culture is Miss Rand's esthetics. Dr. Durante opened the door to this with her criticism of the thoroughly reprehensible exhibition in New York's Central Park of Christo's Gates. She stood firm against invective. Now she is offering more details as she applies Miss Rand's esthetics to Outdoor Monuments of Manhattan.

Outdoor Monuments of Manhattan is a clever organization of facts and commentary. It is also a welcomed introduction to important ideas that offer the reader rational guidelines to better appreciate and understand art in general and the outdoor monuments of Manhattan in particular.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Appreciation For Life's Values, May 13, 2007

By	Michael Caution (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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Selecting 54 outdoor sculptures that are of personal and aesthetic interest, the author takes you on a guided tour of Manhattan starting from the Statue of Liberty in the south all the way north to El Cid by Anna Hyatt Huntington.

An easy read for all, each essay gives a brief introduction into the sculptures stylistic elements. It also compares them to how they could have been different and what that would have done to the artwork's meaning. The author also provides background information on the sculpture and its subject to further enhance our appreciation.

Of course when it comes right down to it, Durante shows us through sculpture great minds at work (artisan and innovator) who have accomplished much in their pursuit of values.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sculpted Heroism, May 1, 2007

By	Robert Begley "roark2112" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a native New Yorker, at one time or another I've passed by and gazed at every one of the 54 sculptures listed in this excellent book. What I learned was how great each one is. Several of my favorites are mentioned (Columbus, Washington, Hamilton) as are some less publicized gems, like Verrazzano and Dr. James Marion Sims. By breaking down the categories of About the Sculpture and About the Subject, one can learn so much about these outdoor gems in the city. Dr. Durante's style of writing is very clear and she gives a practical guide in "how to read a sculpture" with an objective basis.

Pick your style of heroism and you'll find it here. Whether it's celebrating a job well done (Washington in Union Square) or charging into the battle of a new project (El Cid up in Harlem) or refusing to submit to defeat in the face of death (Nathan Hale in City Hall Park) you are sure to be uplifted.

Every New Yorker should own this book, as it will give them a chance to fill their lives with inspiration by simply traveling to a location simply mapped out in the book. As for non-New Yorkers, this is yet another reason to come here and enjoy the greatness of this magnificent city.