Description

James Rudnick moved to Brooklyn, New York, in 1977 to attend graduate school and almost immediately began to photograph two nearby landmarks: the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge. Both structures were approaching their centennials, and Rudnick was soon drawn into the resulting restorations as a documentary photographer. He followed this work, in the 1980s and 1990s, with similar projects at the New York Public Library and Grand Central Terminal. These four monuments are emblems of America's transformation at the end of the nineteenth century and, more particularly, of New York City.

Rudnick's photographs -- both color and black-and-white -- are a unique exploration of the great architecture of New York, from "before" shots showing sadly ignored structures to fascinating in-progress images of craftspeople and techniques to spectacular views of the gleaming, post-restoration monuments. Accompanying the photographs in this beautifully designed volume is text by Thomas Mellins that discusses the history of New York City, notably the period from 1865 to 1915 in which the four landmarks were built, as well as the development of the city's historic preservation movement, both popular and institutional. Rudnick himself describes the details of each restoration in informative captions; his evocative afterword beautifully recounts his own engagement with the spectacular architectural legacy of New York.

About the Author

James Rudnick is a photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. His restoration photography, devoted to New York's monumental architecture, has been published in books and magazines, including Time, National Geographic, and the New York Times. His work has also been included in Grand Central: Gateway to a Million Lives and Le New York de Paul Auster. Since 1986 he has been a member of the photography faculty at the School of Visual Arts.

Thomas Mellins is an architectural historian and writer educated at Columbia University and the City University of New York. He is a coauthor of three books in an award-winning series on the architecture and urbanism of New York City: New York 1880, New York 1930, and New York 1960. Mellins is a contributing editor at Architectural Record.