In this painting, William Merritt Chase focuses on theas-yet undeveloped areas of land near Coney Is

In this painting, William Merritt Chase focuses on theas-yet undeveloped areas of land near Coney Island. Lush green bushes andgrasses dominate the landscape. It is only with very close looking (thepainting is about the size of a sheet of paper) that one finds something oddabout this otherwise tranquil scene: the seemingly out-of-proportion greyelephant on the horizon.By the end of the nineteenth century, the phrase “seeing theelephant” was a euphemism for visiting a brothel. At this time, Coney Island,in addition to its status as a seaside resort and leisure locale, was known as“Sodom by the Sea” for its gambling dens, dance halls, and other illicitactivities. The site cemented its reputation when, in August 1884, the 122-foot-highElephant Hotel opened. The hotel had 31 rooms, including a cigar shop in itsfront legs and, upstairs, guest rooms which could be rented by the hour.In addition to appealing to the seedier side of ConeyIsland, the Elephant Hotel was regarded as a feat of engineering, appearing inan 1885 issue of Scientific American.Unfortunately, the structure, constructed of wood covered in sheet tin, went upin flames in 1896. Despite its short life, the hotel left an indelible mark onthe American imagination and served as a precursor to the fantasticalarchitecture that would come to characterize Coney Island during its amusementpark era.Posted by Connie H. ChoiImage: William Merritt Chase (American, 1849–1916). Landscape, near Coney Island, circa 1886. The Hyde Collection, Glens Falls, New York -- source link

More pics about