Like today, the public could not get enough gossip and images of the beautiful women of the Gilded Age, many of whom are immortalized in statues throughout New York City by the era’s preeminent sculptors.

 In this program, we’ll look at vintage images of these stunners and examine the alluring “professional beauties” who captivated audiences across the country and around the world. Stories include the scandals surrounding Evelyn Nesbit and Virginia Gautreau, the tragic life of Black model Hettie Anderson, immortalized by artist Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and the woman who inspired Charles Dana Gibson’s iconic Gibson Girl. 

Led by Ginny Poleman – A graduate of Cornell University and a licensed New York City Sightseeing Guide, Ginny offers tours for the American Institute of Architects on the Classic Harbor Cruise Line's architectural tours and is an experienced guide for the Municipal Art Society and New York City’s largest art museum.