Heroes of Central Park South Art History Tour

Friday 2:30pm

What makes this tour special is that guests directly examine the works of art and connect the elements the sculptor used with the story of the person or event being memorialized. You will discover how sculptors of the Post Civil War Classic period used ancient symbolism mixed with American Realism to honor their subject’s accomplishments.

On this tour we first discuss what we may already know about a memorial and then take time to examine the work of art closely, prompted by cues. Your guide relates information about the artist and the subject of the memorial. Through discussion, we tie the symbolism the artists employed to characterize the most important things about their subjects. Together we will broaden our understanding of the artist's perspective of who is being memorialized and how they show this in their art.

Starting at the northwest corner of Central Park, we stroll along Central Park South (West 59th Street) to 5th Avenue. This section of the park contains some very interesting heroic statues memorializing people and events. Led by the co-author of Central in Bronze, a website dedicated to the art of Central Park, the tour is an easy walk, but does take time to truly focus on the works of art as one would on a museum or gallery tour.