Rockefeller Center
AA-2026-1538F7
On the image
In the 1950s, one went to Rockefeller Center not just to see the sights, but to be seen seeing them, preferably whilst engaging in some form of socially sanctioned leisure. People gathered to witness others engaging in the dignified spectacle of ice skating, an activity requiring both grace and the proper cold-weather ensemble.
Overlooking this brisk performance was the golden Prometheus, a figure of heroic proportions and deep, perhaps unexamined, symbolism. His eternal struggle was apparently compatible with a good spin on the ice, as long as everyone kept to their side of the barrier. A careful viewer might notice the subtle judgement in his gaze, or perhaps that's just the sun catching the bronze just so.
Up on the viewing deck, the real work was being done: observing. Spectators, dressed for an outing, lined the balcony, proving that sometimes, the most sophisticated form of participation is simply to stand and watch, confident in one's own well-appointed inactivity.
The historian's note
Rockefeller Center, a monumental complex of commercial buildings in Midtown Manhattan, was a major architectural achievement of the 1930s. Its lower plaza, iconic for its sunken design, was converted into a public ice-skating rink during the winter months, a tradition that began in 1936.
The rink is presided over by Paul Manship's gilded bronze sculpture of Prometheus, installed in 1934. This area quickly became one of New York City's most famous public spaces and a significant tourist attraction. The flags displayed around the plaza often represent nations recognised by the United Nations, reflecting the complex's role as a global landmark.
The 1950s represented a period of sustained post-war prosperity and cultural ascendance for New York City, with Rockefeller Center remaining a focal point for both local recreation and international visitors.
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Ice Skating Rink at Rockefeller Center, New York, 1950s. 1950–1959. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-1538F7. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/ice-skating-rink-at-rockefeller-center-new-york-1950s.
@misc{aaAA20261538F7,
title = {Ice Skating Rink at Rockefeller Center, New York, 1950s},
year = {1950–1959},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-1538F7},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/ice-skating-rink-at-rockefeller-center-new-york-1950s}
}TY - ART TI - Ice Skating Rink at Rockefeller Center, New York, 1950s PY - 1950–1959 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-1538F7 UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/ice-skating-rink-at-rockefeller-center-new-york-1950s ER -
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