Washington Square North
Encyclopedia
Washington Square North, also historically called "The Row", is a American
street in the Greenwich Village
neighborhood of the Manhattan
borough
of New York City
, New York
.
It presents a unified line of Greek Revival townhouses across from the northern side of Washington Square Park
, a 9.75-acre (39,500-square-metre) public urban park
.
, as the address of choice. Anchored by the mansion of William C. Rhinelander at the center of Washington Square North, "the Row" of Greek Revival town houses on either side of Fifth Avenue presented the unified and dignified appearance of privilege.
When the center of New York City society moved north after the American Civil War
, the houses on the square came to represent the gentility of a bygone age. Henry James
, whose grandmother lived at 18 Washington Square North, depicted this nostalgic view in his tragicomedy
novel, Washington Square
(1881). Today, most of the buildings belong to New York University
's campus facilities.
and his wife, Josephine Hopper
, lived in a studio
on the building's top floor. Chosen for its low rent and the artist's belief that his hero, the American artist Thomas Eakins
had painted there, Hopper and his wife leased rooms having neither heat nor private bath. They decorated their rooms simply, with pieces of early-American furniture.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
street in the Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
neighborhood of the Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
It presents a unified line of Greek Revival townhouses across from the northern side of Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park is one of the best-known of New York City's 1,900 public parks. At 9.75 acres , it is a landmark in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity...
, a 9.75-acre (39,500-square-metre) public urban park
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
.
History
In the 1840s, New York City's elite established Washington Square, far from the increasingly commercial environment of Lower ManhattanLower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
, as the address of choice. Anchored by the mansion of William C. Rhinelander at the center of Washington Square North, "the Row" of Greek Revival town houses on either side of Fifth Avenue presented the unified and dignified appearance of privilege.
When the center of New York City society moved north after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the houses on the square came to represent the gentility of a bygone age. Henry James
Henry James
Henry James, OM was an American-born writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism. He was the son of Henry James, Sr., a clergyman, and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James....
, whose grandmother lived at 18 Washington Square North, depicted this nostalgic view in his tragicomedy
Tragicomedy
Tragicomedy is fictional work that blends aspects of the genres of tragedy and comedy. In English literature, from Shakespeare's time to the nineteenth century, tragicomedy referred to a serious play with either a happy ending or enough jokes throughout the play to lighten the mood.-Classical...
novel, Washington Square
Washington Square (novel)
Washington Square is a short novel by Henry James. Originally published in 1880 as a serial in Cornhill Magazine and Harper's New Monthly Magazine, it is a structurally simple tragicomedy that recounts the conflict between a dull but sweet daughter and her brilliant, domineering father...
(1881). Today, most of the buildings belong to New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's campus facilities.
Washington Square North 1–3
Perhaps no building in New York City is more closely associated with a single artist than this 1830s row house. From 1913 until his death in May 1967, the artist Edward HopperEdward Hopper
Edward Hopper was a prominent American realist painter and printmaker. While most popularly known for his oil paintings, he was equally proficient as a watercolorist and printmaker in etching...
and his wife, Josephine Hopper
Josephine Hopper
Josephine Hopper was an American painter. She is best known today as the wife of Edward Hopper, whom she married in 1924.-Biography:She was born in Manhattan into a lower class family...
, lived in a studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
on the building's top floor. Chosen for its low rent and the artist's belief that his hero, the American artist Thomas Eakins
Thomas Eakins
Thomas Cowperthwait Eakins was an American realist painter, photographer, sculptor, and fine arts educator...
had painted there, Hopper and his wife leased rooms having neither heat nor private bath. They decorated their rooms simply, with pieces of early-American furniture.