Statues in NYC Favor Men

Did you know that of the 150ish historical statues in all of New York City there are only five of real women? According to NYC Statues, Joan of Arc was the first, and the others are Eleanor Roosevelt, Gertrude Stein, Golda Mier, and Harriet Tubman — who was the last one, put up in 2007.

In 1993 the Gray Lady herself pointed out the lack of women memorialized in the city (in a cleverly titled article called "Statues, With Limitations"). They report that "of a score or more stone and metal statues of women, nearly all are either personifications (Justice, Peace, the Four Continents, Wisdom and Alma Mater) or goddesses (Minerva)... one looks in vain for female artists, reformers, politicians."

Some of these other female figures placed about town include the American Venus Audrey Munson, immigrant everywoman Annie Moore, Alice in Wonderland, Mother Goose, a few famous actresses built into the side of the I. Miller building, and of course Lady Liberty. Surely the number of real women from our past should start balancing out with the amount of dead men around this city, however. Who would you suggest be next?

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By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on November 12, 2009 2:10 PM

Comments [rss]

meechybee

I'd love to know how many NAKED and allegorical statues of women there are compared to men out there. Let's face it, while women make up at least half of the fine arts today, they didn't count for even a healthy minority only 50 years ago.

FYI, that said, I'm a sculptor and available for commissions...

NannyState

The Madonna statue was held up due to a rash of suicides at the foundry.

ANGRYGOD11

Due to the profound economic crisis and city deficits, forget any new statures.

cucarachita

surprise, surprise.

books

That Jane (?) Jacobs women from the village who fought against Robert Moses. Dorothy Parker. My mother, her mother.

tsol

I second Jane Jacobs. She stopped Robert Moses and his New Deal steamrollers from destroying even more of the city than he already did.

Dotty was witty, but statue-worthy? Not so much.

HOTCUP

Statues favor men??

What about mainstream history in general?

schizofriendly

I vote for Eve Shopsin. A real New Yorker.

Polemicist

This problem is easily solved. Find one of those great female sculptors out there and ask them to create a statue of their favorite woman.

Good luck with that.

dr zippy

Are you saying there aren't great female sculptors? Or that men can't properly create statutes of women?

Quidnam

Actually, the most recent statue to be put up in the city is that of Frederick Douglass (at the northwest corner of Central Park). At the moment, the sculpture is bound up in a semi-disturbing canvass cover while the final details are finished in the construction of Frederick Douglass Circle.

So, chalk another up to the men's team, I guess.

Joe Schumacher

The Harriet Tubman statue is the most recent statue of a woman.

Frederick Douglass was briefly uncovered a couple of weeks ago! He's back to being covered in the odd mummy wrapping.

MT

Does the Angel of the Waters count? She's by far my favorite statue in New York.

NannyState

How about a 200ft. Christine Quinn statue overlooking felixthecat2's building?

tom9d

A Fran Drescher statue would be perfect for Queens.

felixthecatSUX

and Rosie Perez for Brooklyn

wingedearth

How about Cher for Brooklyn (or at least for Carroll Gardens)?

Polite New Yorker

I would like to see a statue of Margaret Corbin placed in Fort Tryon Park, where there is already a Margaret Corbin Drive. Corbin was the first woman known to take up arms on behalf of the United States. When her husband was injured, she picked up his gun and fought for the U.S.A. at the Battle of Fort Washington right here in Manhattan where Fort Tryon Park is now.