Bryant Park Compilation

The New York City Public Library Flagpole bases, created in 1912 by Thomas Hastings and Rafael Manconi, have been called the most beautiful in the country.  Also on the New York Public Library lions, nicknamed Patience and Fortitude, are so emblematic of the Library that they have been trademarked. They have work graduation caps and have been featured in many movies. There is a similar pair of Lions in front of the Morgan Library that the sculptor also made. The adornments on the facade of the library are called one of the most noteworthy examples of Beaux Arts architectural sculpture in the country.    

Jean Parker Phifer, NYC architect and author of Public Art New York, reads a selection about the statue of Gertrude Stein, designed by Jo Davidson and located in Bryant Park.

There are two statues in classical style located in the niches of the library entitled 'Truth' and 'Beauty'. These were created by Frederick MacMonnies in 1914-1920. Truth, the partially clad male figure, sits on a sphinx-the symbol of mystery.  And if you get a chance to go into the Library, be sure to check out the Richard Haas 2003 mural in the Dewitt Clinton Reading Room and the Edward Laning 1940 mural entitled 'The History of the Recorded Word."  Haas discusses his mural in the audio clip.

Matthew Broderick reveals to us the hidden world of the chess tables, the players, and the strategies.

Matthew Broderick takes us on a walk through Bryant Park, using the scenery and passersby as inspiration for creating memorable characters. 

 Between 1981 and 1983, Richard Haas worked on this series of 14 murals for this reading room of the New York Public Library. The original design of the room, by the architects Carrier and Hastings, left space for murals, but Haass was the first to actually execute the commission. The series depicts historic New York publishing, printing, and newspaper buildings. 

Jean Parker Phifer, NYC architect and author of Public Art New York, reads a selection about the William Cullen Bryant Memorial, a bronze statue located in Bryant Park.

Matthew Broderick takes us back to his childhood, as well as introduces us to the German writer and poet Goethe.

Matthew Broderick breaks it down for us through a statistical collage: the facts and figures of Bryant Park.

Matthew Broderick invites us to observe the daily interplay between the City's movers and shakers at the Bryant Park Grill.

Matthew Broderick invites us to come meet him at Bryant Park, located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan.

Matthew Broderick helps us to see the park through the eyes of one of its most important and eloquent employees.

Matthew Broderick gives us a new way to appreciate the relationship of the Park and the City. 

Matthew Broderick takes us back in time to an older New York, through the power of the written word.

Matthew Broderick shows us the philosophical path of most enjoyment, through the game of petanque.

Bryant Park Compilation

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