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Festive Winter Views by Alice Austen
Alice Austen photographed her world and that included the experience of winter in New York both at home and in Manhattan. She would take her heavy photographic equipment out in treacherous conditions to capture these wonderful views. These 1890's photographs are held in the collections of the Alice Austen House, NYPL, Historic Richmond Town, and the Library of Congress.
Alice Austen House (Clear Comfort)
The Austen Family maids. The Austens had 3 Irish maids and Alice would photograph them frequently. Here they are posing happily at the rear of the home. The maid quarters now serve as the main collections room for the Alice Austen Museum. Alice Austen 1890.
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Alice Austen House (Clear Comfort)
Snow at 'Clear Comfort', the name Austen's grandmother gave their home. This is a wonderful Christmas scene with the pine tree at left. Alice Austen 1885
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Alice Austen House (Clear Comfort)
Clear Comfort in the winter of 1890. During winters like this, the Austen park becomes a magical winter wonderland. Located at 2 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island formerly called Pennsylvania Ave, the beach in the front of the park was known as Penny beach when Austen resided here. Alice Austen 189O
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Alice Austen House (Clear Comfort)
During much of the 1890s, Austen turned her lens toward documenting immigrants at work in Manhattan. The NYC Sanitation Department was newly formed and here a street sweeper poses patiently for Austen
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Alice Austen House (Clear Comfort)
Manhattan Snow Carts. c.1886 Alice Austen
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Alice Austen House (Clear Comfort)
City Street sweeper. c.1886 Alice Austen.
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Alice Austen House (Clear Comfort)
Ice breaker Manhattan. C.1886 Alice Austen
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Alice Austen House (Clear Comfort)
NYC Fire Department truck in the snow. Here an inquisitive young boy watches as Austen documents the scene. 1886 Alice Austen
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Alice Austen House (Clear Comfort)
In this image, we see the Austen well at the rear of Clear Comfort. The house has no running water and Alice would wash her prints outside in the freezing cold. c.1890 Alice Austen.
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