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Central Park by Anthony Benedetto / American Art
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Central Park

1998 Anthony Benedetto Born: New York, New York 1926 oil on canvas 36 x 60 in. (91.4 x 152.4 cm) Smithsonian American Art Museum Gift of the artist © 2000, Benedetto/Bennett 2005.16 Smithsonian American Art Museum
4th Floor, Luce Foundation Center



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Central Park



"I love that park. I always dreamed of having a place that would catch the afternoon light, so I could paint that park over and over." (The artist, quoted in Sullivan, Tony Bennett in the Studio: A life of Art & Music, 2007, excerpted in "Tony Bennett: The Musician and the Artist," msnbc.com, September 24, 2007, http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/20939793/.)


In a city whose streets are lined with gigantic skyscrapers and teem with thousands of people, any sort of nature becomes a welcome escape for its citizens. Anthony Benedetto, better known as Tony Bennett, found inspiration in New York City's Central Park, where the possibilities of what to paint are limitless. Benedetto's dream of owning an apartment with a view of the park has been realized, and this scene is the view from his Manhattan window. It is a glimpse into the artist's private life, almost as if we are sitting at the window with him, looking out over the park. The morning light and crisp fall colors are inviting, but the cityscape hovers on the perimeter, reminding the viewer of what is outside this idyllic haven. The salvation from the busy city life is only temporary.

For more information about this work visit the Luce Foundation Center.


Keywords

Cityscape - New York - Manhattan

Cityscape - New York New York

Landscape - park - Central Park

painting

About Anthony Benedetto

Born: New York, New York 1926

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