Artist Bela de Tirefort drew inspiration from the city streets, painting numerous New York scenes. Various websites date this view of Bleecker Street pushcarts to the 1940s, completely ignoring the year, "61", on the lower corner.
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| MutualArt.Com
At that time there was talk of closing the Bleecker Street market. Perhaps that is why de Tirefort took brush to canvas,an attempt to capture a Village scene before it faded into history.
In the mid-30s, the market covered eleven city blocks with 120 licensed pushcart merchants.
When de Tirefort created this painting there were only ten merchants operating thirteen stands along two city blocks (Cornelia Street to Seventh Avenue). Protests from Villagers saved the market for another decade or so. Did the number of pushcarts continue to decline or was it simply closed by the city? The answer is unclear.
In the background is bell tower of the Our Lady of Pompeii Church, still on the corner at Carmine Street.
Pushcarts on Bleecker Street
Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, a three-volume history of borough showplaces. The first two volumes chosen 2010 OUTSTANDING BOOK OF THE YEAR by the Theatre Historical Society. Final volume published in September 2014.
He conducts a series of popular theatre talks and walking tours. |
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