The Untold LGBTQ+ History of Central Park's Bethesda Fountain

Bethesda Fountain's Artistic Legacy

• 🎨 The iconic Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, visited by millions annually, features the sculpture "Angel of the Waters" by Emma Stebbins.
• 🏆 Stebbins was the first woman to receive a public art commission in New York City for this monument, dedicated in 1873.

Emma Stebbins: A Pioneer Artist

• 🗽 Born in 1815 to a wealthy New York family, Stebbins pursued sculpture and found a welcoming community of like-minded women in Rome.
• 👩‍❤️‍👩 Many of these women were lesbians who lived openly as companions with other women.

A Personal Connection to the Art

• 💧 The fountain's theme of clean water held personal significance for Stebbins, as her younger brother died from cholera.
• 💖 The sculpture, while sometimes noted for an androgynous quality, is a woman and represents the love, affection, and partnership Stebbins shared with actress Charlotte Cushman.

A Gift to the Community

• 🎁 The statue is considered a gift to New Yorkers and, specifically, to the LGBTQ+ community, celebrating a significant piece of art created by and representing a queer artist and her relationship.
• 🏳️‍🌈 Central Park is home to several landmarks with strong ties to the LGBTQ+ community, with Bethesda Fountain being a prominent example.