Durand-Ruel Gallery ca. 1913

When one thinks of the Impressionist paintings in New York, whether it be Degas, Monet, or Pissaro, one is more likely to think of the Met before a little gallery on 57th Street. However, the building in this photo was extremely important in introducing this painting style to Americans. As 57th Street became less and less residential at the turn of the century, art galleries began to spring up in place of homes. Few of these were more prominent than the Durand-Ruel Gallery, which first opened in Paris in the early 19th century and made its way to New York in 1887. Taking the place of the Morris Mansion, the Durand-Ruel family contracted Carrere & Hastings to build a French Renaissance building eight stories tall on 57th Street in 1913. The building served as both a gallery to present their art as well a residence for the family, on the floors above the gallery space.

The gallery would go on to be a success, and it held a series of shows that helped familiarize New York collectors with Impressionist paintings. The Durand-Ruel Gallery left the space in 1950, and, in the 1980s, it was demolished for the construction of the IBM building.