The Cathedrals of Fifth Avenue

A towering, church-like facade rises at the center of this composition, built from pointed arches and ornate spires in the manner of a Gothic cathedral. Crowded within and around its structure are numerous figures, along with touches of fashionable dress and decorative flourishes, all rendered in a palette of red, gold, and soft pastel tones. The painting dates to 1931 and was made in oil on canvas; it is held today at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, having come to the museum as a gift. Florine Stettheimer (1871–1944) was an American artist whose practice also extended into costume design. One detail worth lingering on is how the architectural grandeur of the cathedral form contrasts with the delicate, almost theatrical treatment of the people gathered beneath and inside it, giving the structure a festive, celebratory character rather than a solemn religious one.