Window Dressing, Week Forty-Six in the New Abnormal

I have always found great pleasure in walking the city streets. Throughout my 43 years in New York City, I’ve seen a lot. And, yet, I always find something new. This past week I started to notice the ubiquitous iron work on so many buildings and railings. There’s a long history, centuries old, of metal and iron works. On closer inspection there are common patterns. Chances are they’re cheap. But not all buildings have the less expensive options. There are stunning pieces of craftsmanship.

Decorative arts can easily be underestimated. In terms of New York buildings iron work tends to be architectural embellishment. For me, they’ve usually gone unnoticed. But to the trained eye, the metal works stand out as a separate entity. A craft in its own right.

Funny, but as often as I go to museums, a repeated walking destination, I have rarely visited the decorative arts galleries. I’ve walked past them to see special exhibits, but like the iron work covering many brownstone doors and windows, I walked by…