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Mott Street
Mott Street Festival, 1954
Oil on canvas
Gift of Grace La Gambina, 92.40.5

Electric lights and religious society banners enliven Mott Street for the festival of San Gennaro, a popular Neapolitan saint's day celebrated on September 19th. As they parade through Little Italy and Chinatown the ornate floats are frequently adorned by devout onlookers with money for the Church. In this view the bright colors and amiable commotion associated with the spectacle form a setting for the brightly lit statue of the Blessed Virgin (at the center of the composition), the makeshift bandstand (on the right) and the folding chairs brought outdoors by residents watching the procession. This painting was featured in the Whitney Museum of American Art's 1954 exhibition honoring prize-winning artwork first shown at the Village Art Center.

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