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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Sixty Eight: A city portrait -- impressions of New York > Brownstone, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, 2011
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01-AUG-2011

Brownstone, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, 2011

The texture of the peeling paint in this image of a vintage Brooklyn brownstone offers viewers a tactile insight into the passage of time itself. The low angle of the early morning light intensifies that texture, and warms the rich color which envelopes half the image. By contrasting the warmth of one side of this building with the chilly, deeply shadowed half, we can ponder the unknown side of this structure, and wonder about the inhabitants this building may have known over the years.

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Phil Douglis12-Aug-2011 20:09
Once again, you speak with the knowledge of a native New Yorker, Carol. The peeling paint is a characteristic of something that has lived with time, and that is also the nature of a brownstone itself. While true brownstones are made of sandstone, and this one is made of brick, it still can be classed as such, because it is a New York City Row House. There are so many Row Houses in this area of Brooklyn (Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, and Brooklyn Heights) that the entire area is collectively referred to as "Brownstone National Park."
Carol E Sandgren12-Aug-2011 19:01
Brownstones... one of the most cherished and sought-after architectural styles of buildings from past eras! Even to this day with the paint peeling and need for repair, I would trade my house in for a brownstone any day of the week! To me, your image speaks of timelessness.
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