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September 15, 2009

Walkabout with Montrose: Faces I Remember

I collect faces. I’ve got some great ones: Vikings, African warriors, Indian Chiefs, handsome turbaned fellows, and chaps with bad teeth. I’ve got guys holding up buildings, and ethereal ladies looking serene and peaceful, as well as warrior women I wouldn’t advise you mess with. I’ve got a couple of creepy children and even a demon or two. Shakespeare is here, and so is Abe Lincoln. Courtiers and kings grace our buildings, as do ordinary looking Moms and Dads. Naturally, I’m referring to photographs of the many individuals whose countenances grace the buildings of Brooklyn.

Once you start noticing these images, you really do see them everywhere, because they ARE everywhere. Almost any building built between 1885 and 1940 is a candidate for portraiture, whether historical or imaginary. The architects of our borough had great imagination, access to some incredibly talented stoneworkers, and in many cases, a strong sense of humor. The examples are in stone or terra cotta, from reliefs to three dimensional busts. Take a look at some of the best, from all over Brownstone Brooklyn. I’ve got many, many, more, and find new ones every time I walk about in our amazing Brooklyn neighborhoods.




Posted by Montrose Morris at 10:30 AM | Comments (14)
Categories: Arch Diary

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Comments

Make them into a book!!!!

Posted by: Brenda from Flatbush at September 15, 2009 10:34 AM

Call me paranoid but is the "creepy children" a reference to moi, the Sainted Tenant? >;p

Love the pictures. They are so fascinating- I wonder if the choices the architect made sometimes are a comment on the client they're building for? Bratty kids, evil client from hell with dental issues - now immortalized in stone.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 15, 2009 10:35 AM

I'm working on it, Brenda! Proposals have been sent to publishers, and we had one acceptance. Unfortunately, contract left much to be desired, and I'm not referring to money, either. Still hunting. When the book comes out, Brownstoners will be the first to know.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at September 15, 2009 10:48 AM


By all means, you definitely need to get your work into a book, MM! Thanks so much for your weekly reminders to "be here now" as we walk about the city streets and to notice the the architectural comments, commentaries and conversations that have been etched into the stone, brick, glass, wood, etc. that's all around us.

Posted by: Brooklynista at September 15, 2009 11:54 AM

fantastic. I never realized that some of them are REALLY funny! thanks for posting. I'm going to take a closer look from now on.

Posted by: herkimermaid at September 15, 2009 12:03 PM

Terrific pictures, I love the guy at the Valence on Ocean Ave, I bet he's thinking "they're paying how much"?

Posted by: DeLepp at September 15, 2009 12:09 PM

Wonderful to hear you are shopping around a proposal, MM. All the best.

Posted by: mopar at September 15, 2009 12:33 PM

My favorite blog on Brownstoner by far...put me down for a copy of that book...

These are pretty amazing, as always. A very funny, but less well crafted series of 'faces' occurs on 233 (or 235) Park Place in brooklyn (btwn Vanderbilt and Carlton, north side of street, recessed 25' building)...

There are three friezes about the principal first floor fenestrations...

Window 1: Nixon's Face
Window 2: Ford's Face
Entry Door: Carter's Face

It is hands down the strangest 3 presidents to canonize...

Posted by: young archi at September 15, 2009 1:42 PM

young archi- I've seen those too!

Posted by: bxgrl at September 15, 2009 1:58 PM

Too funny!

Also, anyone notice one or two examples here seem to be African-American faces? Or am I imagining things?

Posted by: mopar at September 15, 2009 2:37 PM

Montrose Moriis, thank you for enlightening us with some of Brooklyn's beautiful buildings. I wanted to tell you that there is a mansion In Bed-Stuy called the Victorian 247 Hancock St between Tompkins and Marcy aves that was designed by Montrose Morris and it is absolutely beautiful!!!
he designed a few homes on Hancock, across the street from the Victorian. Mr. Morris i would have never known about this great
architect if it wasn't for you.
Thanks

Posted by: mysideofstuy at September 15, 2009 2:45 PM

MM, fantastic, as always.

Posted by: CarrollGardened at September 15, 2009 2:57 PM

PS, I love the yawning woman on Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights!

Posted by: CarrollGardened at September 15, 2009 2:59 PM

C Gar- she's either singing or yelling at Biff :-)

Posted by: bxgrl at September 15, 2009 3:56 PM

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