City-Hall Park New York ⎯ March 2nd 1896

Cityscape, Landscape, Winter, People, Snow, Trees

Dimensions

Image Dimensions: 18.0 x 22.9 cm March, 1896 Whole # 91
Support Dimensions: 27.6 x 34.8 cm Cream-colored plate paper

Associated Blog Posts:

Old New York Strong

Snow from a late Winter storm coats trees and nearly everything else in New York City’s City Hall Park. From Wikipedia: “City Hall Park is a public park surrounding New York City Hall in the Civic Center of Manhattan. It was the town commons of the nascent city of New York… During the pre-Revolutionary and Revolutionary eras, City Hall Park was the site of many rallies and movements.”

Photographer William H. Cooper was the President of the Department of Photography at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Science when this photograph was published. 

The editors of Sun and Shade commented on this work:

What photography cannot catch and reproduce, has yet to be looked for. The camera, in skilful hands, is a startling and wonderfully strange instrument. Its possibilities are, even yet, far beyond the conception of the greatest experts, who are constantly amazed at what it effects in the way of revelation of nature in all her moods. The present picture, taken it may be noted for technical readers, by a 2A Zeiss lens, is, without exception, one of the most remarkable productions, so far, which photography has produced. Every one who has seen the strange and peculiar aspect of leafless trees, when showered with fleecy snow, has longed to carry in his mind the memory of the pretty sight: but, until now, it is doubtful if such a weird aspect has ever been perpetuated; certainly not by the hand of a painter, for it would be far and away beyond any artist’s powers. Here it is that the camera has accomplished the apparently impossible feat. We thank Mr. Cooper for his work. It is unique and therefore valuable.