Monuments and Masterpieces - Histories and Views of Public Sculpture in New York City

New York: MacMillan Publishing Company. Near Fine in Near Fine dust jacket. 1988. First Edition. Hardcover. xvi, 478 pages; New York: Near Fine in Near Fine dust jacket. 1988. First Edition. Xvi, 478 pages; Clean and secure in original binding of navy blue cloth and tan boards; corners sharp, dustjacket bright fresh. Donald Martin Reynolds, Prof. Of Art History at Columbia Univ. , has written the authoritative guide to New York City s magnificent collection of civic art. From Grant's Tomb & the U. S. Customs House in Manhattan to the fanciful gates of the Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn's Cadman Plaza War Memorial, Staten Island's Hiker Monument & the American Architectural Terra-Cotta Co. In Queens, he traces the development of American sculpture from its European origins to our own times. In doing so, Reynolds deftly chronicles the fascinating & sometimes surprising social history of America, recorded in granite, bronze, & terra cotta. Over 80 individual works & their creators are profiled. Over 100 black & white photographs. Art historian Reynolds here surveys public sculpture in New York City from the mid-18th century to World War II. Organizing his work by sculpture type or theme, e. G. , the equestrian monument, the war memorial, and architectural use of terra cotta, he does not attempt to create a comprehensive catalog or a walking tour like Ira J. Bach and Mary Gray's A Guide to Chicago's Public Sculpture (Univ. Of Chicago Pr. , 1983) . Instead, Reynolds provides substantial commentary on the history and style of over 80 individual works and on their creators. The author's 240 original black-and-white photographs enhance the text, and the bibliography is extensive. This informed, insightful history is a highly recommended guide to New York City's exceptionally rich collection of public sculpture. --Douglas G. Birdsall, North Dakota State Univ. Lib. , Fargo .; Art and Art History, Architecture, Most Recent Listing .