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Great reading room Manhattan Library

<p>Bernhard Hartmann captured the New York Public Library’s main reading room—known as the Rose Room—at a rare moment: the entire room is empty, just before it opens to students. In this photographic composition, everything is perfectly aligned. The long wooden tables stretch out, giving the image its central perspective. A small individual lamp sits on each table, their warm lights punctuating the entire length of the room. Solid bronze chandeliers hang at regular intervals. On the ceiling, gilded coffers frame the large frescoes of cloudy skies painted in 1911 by James Wall Finn, upon the building’s opening. The hall is a pure example of the Beaux-Arts style, an American architectural movement directly inspired by the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The tall arched windows let in natural light. Hartmann carefully chose his composition so that no lines would appear distorted: the walls are perfectly straight, just as they are in reality. This fine art photograph pays homage to architecture, beauty, and their soothing power over the mind.</p>  ... See more See less

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