New York Architecture
- How would you describe Stanford White’s personality?
Stanford White represented the design personality that was embodied throughout the gilded age of New York City. Based on the spectacular buildings and monuments that he designed within the New York Metropolitan region as well as the personality that he managed to craft within the New York High Society. Stanford White managed to stand out as a contemporary artist sanctioned by monuments that were acknowledged by the highest levels of New York government and the administration as a member of the modern art movement.
- What are the characteristics of his architecture?
The characteristics of the architectural style that he displayed in his works which were based on the childlike monuments that he was able to maintain within the contemporary New York City. Stanford White is primarily remembered as the architect of the Washington Square Park Arch as the primary designer of the park as well as the monuments contained within depicting a triumphal arch of New York as a world destination. He, therefore, understood the tenets of the event around the celebration of George Washington as a founder of contemporary American culture.
- He became a partner of McKim and Mead. What was his contribution to the firm?
As a result of his contribution to national events in honor of American national heroes, Stanford White was considered as one of the designers of the common New York identity that soon came to represent contemporary American architecture. He enveloped the sort of embodiment of contemporary American culture in the sense that he was able to make his mark as a dentist and citizen of contemporary America. As part of the architectural team of McKim and Mead, Stanford White was the main architect of the Washington Arch. The original design of the Washington Arch was premised on White, not being able to attend the opening of his most famous building.
- Briefly describe the historical moment in which White worked.
Stanford White was privileged to work within and during the gilded age of American high society meaning that he was able to command a client base that allowed him to freely mingle among the creme de la creme of contemporary American Society. At this stage and period in time, White as an architect was exposed to the rise of capitalism and the robber barons as the new titans of modern society. At this moment, it was clear that the economy was being manipulated by individuals who controlled the path that society took.
- Who were the Robber Barons? Why were they so wealthy? Name a few
The robber barons in modern American Society represented a class of capitalists who were notorious for fuelling the accumulation of wealth for the robber barons in early American society. Stanford White capitalized on his connections and links with the first-class American Society and their buildings (Thirteen, 2014). He was able to leverage the art that he designed within American Society and the vision that was shared within contemporary society with inspiration from Europe and modern society. The robber barons were capitalist scions of society who were able to create a monopoly within the rapidly expanding higher classes such as the Vanderbilt family, the Rockefeller family, the Carnegie Family, and the Astor family. As a result, he was able to secure references in the McKim and Mead and White architectural firm who were able to secure corporate status by working with talented workers along with the new clients.
- What was the function/meaning of Fifth Avenue mansions of the Gilded Age?
The Fifth Avenue served as the high-end residential architects for the families of the robber barons who had an abundance of commissions from the wealthiest families and the most luxurious designs for their personal estates within the New York Metropolitan region, Stanford was able to monopolize the high-end New York Market by appealing to the rising economic fortunes of these families (Thirteen, 2014). As a result, he was able to secure investments by these families and scions of society to structure their homes and areas of recreation and worship. Aside from these commissions, Stanford White was able to get personal commissions from the wealthiest families in early America.
- Briefly discuss the characteristics of Fifth Avenue mansions.
The characteristics of the Fifth Avenue mansions were essentially representative of the rise of the economic fortunes of the upper class in contemporary American society. As a result, he was able to secure private commissions for his firm from the newly rich families and societies. As a result, of the disparities present in modern society, it was essential for the aristocracy and the modern newly rich wealthy families to be able to feel comfortable with the product offerings of these residents while still accessing commissions from his original wealthy clients.
- Write about White’s work as a decorator, make some examples of his very personal and imaginative taste.
White was able to leverage his high society connections in order to embody the personal and imaginative tastes of the newly wealthy members of New York society. White was able to take advantage of his wife’s family and connections in order to generate demand for his pieces, which he modeled after distinctive European styles. As a result, of the wealth of his clients, White was able to usher in a new period of architecture where he ensured the highest quality of his products on only the highest quality products.
- Write about White’s work as a decorator, make some examples of his very personal and imaginative taste.
As a decorator for interiors of the houses that he designed, White was able to ingrain himself with American High Society, and as a result, he was able to secure valuable commissions for the creme de la creme of New York Society. He was able to assemble teams of craftsmen and decorative workmen in order to ensure that his architectural works received the highest amounts of luxury fixations and collaborations of craftsmen. Stanford White was able to justify the exorbitant costs of his works as well as showing his ability to be able to manage multidisciplinary teams of craftsmanships of contemporary New York architects.
- Why did White go through financial hardship towards the end of his life?
However, White’s skills and talents were unable to survive his luxury and the associated prestige of the association with his new designs. As his prestige grew, so did he try and impart plans with the added touch of interior designing for his clients as a member of the upper class. Towards the end of his life, he sought to reinvent himself as a decorator outside of his career as a prominent architect, which he served towards the end of his premature death at the end of his life. The financial hardship that his estate faced at his defense was as a result of the relative wealth of his wealthy murderer.
References
Thirteen. (2014). Treasures of New York: Stanford White [Video]. Retrieved 16 June 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv25Kx0dKBU&feature=youtu.be.