Baked Pears in Duane Park
1870s
Medium
Oil on slate paper
Dimensions
6 x 9 1/8 in. (15.2 x 23.2 cm)
Classification
Painting
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Edward W. C. Arnold Collection of New York Prints, Maps, and Pictures, Bequest of Edward W. C. Arnold, 1954
Accession Number
54.90.494
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the heart of 1870s New York City, William P. Chappell captures a charming slice of urban life in *Baked Pears in Park* (ca. 1870s), a petite oil painting on slate paper measuring just 6 x 9⅛ inches. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, this work from The Edward W. C. Collection depicts the lively atmosphere of Duane Park—a verdant oasis in what is now SoHo—where men and women gather amid everyday pleasures. The title hints at a street vendor peddling warm baked pears, evoking the sensory bustle of Gilded Age city parks as social hubs for leisure and commerce. Chappell,...
About the Artist
William P. Chappel · 1801–1878
American, 1801–1878