Everyone in New York has a window, whether it is a grand vista of Central Park or a bleak view of an exposed brick wall. In a city swarmed by millions of residents, and inundated by many more tourists each year, these are the scenes of New York that remain largely hidden.
In Matteo Pericoli’s new book, The City Out My Window: 63 Views on New York, the illustrator shows hand drawn sketches of various windows, and their optical treasures — from birds eye views of Washington Square Park to grim silhouettes of public housing complexes.
Although linear and simplistic in form, Pericoli’s exquisite drawings accurately capture the skyline of a city that is in perpetual architectural motion. The book is also arresting because of the subjects that allowed Matteo Pericoli into their homes to capture their window views. Television host Stephen Colbert, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, and celebrity Chef Mario Batali, amongst others, comment on their extravagant, and sometimes unglamorous views in The City Out My Window: 63 Views on New York.
We appreciate author Tom Wolfe’s assessment of his perch over midtown Manhattan shown above:
“A real estate agent had shown my wife and me 34 apartments before we finally took the one you’re looking out of right now. When we had reached 29 she said to me, ‘Do you realize that every time I show you an apartment, you never look at it? You rush straight to the window to assess the view.’ To this day, I haven’t really seen this apartment, only what’s outside of it.”
To purchase this brand new book, click here.
