Detail of The Cathedrals of Broadway by Florine Stettheimer in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, March 2008

The Cathedrals of Broadway, 1929
Florine Stettheimer (American, 1871­1944)
Oil on canvas; 60 1/8 x 50 1/8 in. (152.7 x 127.3 cm)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Gift of Ettie Stettheimer, 1953 (53.24.3)

The year 1929, the year this painting was created, was a very difficult one for New Yorkers. The economic depression that engulfed the country impelled many to seek solace in the seductive world of entertainment. The Cathedrals of Broadway represents a tribute to the world of spectacle, as it existed only in New York. Stettheimer expertly captures the magical atmosphere of musical melodies, neon lights, dancers, and fantasy, a chaotic atmosphere that she celebrated in her work and her life.

Text from: www.metmuseum.org/explore/artists_view/cathedrals_broadwa...