Central Park in 1869
Published anonymously, this beautifully printed and illustrated viewbook of Central Park was among the most finely produced 19th-century works on the park, which was established in 1858. Many of the illustrations are by Albert Fitch Bellows, a noted Hudson River School painter.
The book is an good sourcebook for Central Park, covering the history of the design of the park, with ample coverage on the contributions of Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Some of the scenes in Central Park described herein are no longer extant. Includes two full-page plans by Fitch depicting the North End and South End of the park.
Clarence Chatham Cook, a native of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and an 1849 graduate of Harvard, was a prominent American art critic. Influenced by the writings of John Ruskin, he created an American version of the group, which included among its members Clarence King and other prominent figures. The American Pre-Raphaelites had abolitionist leanings, and published a journal called The New Path.
Rarity
Though well represented in institutional collections, the present book is scarce in the market, especially so in such nice condition.