The Fifth Avenue side of the Metropolitan Club enjoys just a few minutes of direct light in the winter, so I had to work fast for this picture. It was a freezing day in January — hours before a snowstorm hit — but damn it, the result was worth the misery.
Of the many fine examples of Stanford White’s work in New York, this is the best. The composition is simple yet refined, the elements are perfectly balanced, and the facade is delicately textured with just the right amount of ornamentation. Someday I’ll get the detail shots.
The structure was designed in the style of an Italian palazzo and built of marble, with opulent interiors that I’ll certainly never photograph. The Metropolitan Club, after all, was founded by millionaires and is now patronized by billionaires. I’ll just take pics by the Halal cart across the street, thanks.
Interior2
Elevations, Sections, and Floorplans3
References
- “New Club Of The Millionaires.” The World (New York), February 25, 1894, p. 26. ↩︎
- A Monograph of the Work of McKim Mead & White, 1879-1915. New York: The Architectural Book Publishing Company, 1915. ↩︎
- ibid. ↩︎