Skyscrapers on the Waterfront
Artist/Maker
Jafir
(United States, dates unknown)
Dateca. 1930
Mediumetching
DimensionsSight: 10 7/8 x 8 7/8 in. (27.6 x 22.5 cm)
Sheet: 14 5/8 x 12 in. (37.1 x 30.5 cm)
Sheet: 14 5/8 x 12 in. (37.1 x 30.5 cm)
ClassificationsVisual Works
Credit LineGift of Dr. David Klein
Terms
Object number61.173.000
DescriptionThe union of metal skeleton construction, designs employing iron and glass as major building materials, and the high-speed passenger elevator, produced the modern skyscraper and satisfied the nineteenth century's need for more commercial space in areas where land was limited. The term "skyscraper" actually has its origins in 13th century Italy, where the term referred to the new heights of towers. The outline of Manhattan's towers seen against the sky is the world's most famous skyline, and of those towers, the 102 story Empire State Building, located in mid-town, is probably its most recognizable. When this icon of engineering ingenuity was con-structed as commercial rental space between 1930 and 1931, it was the tallest building in the world. Conceived by John Jacob Raskob and built by the architectural firm Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon, the Empire State Building conforms to the traditional organization of skyscraper mass -- base, shaft, and capital -- based on the division
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