Back Staircase

Iconic views and well-known personalities line the wall of the narrow, winding and dimly lit back staircase that links the kitchen and the upstairs center hall.  None of these images are valuable; John Ashbery purchased most for under ten dollars at various antique stores, adding even more to the crowded walls over many years.  While their placement in this passageway makes them difficult to see and therefore to pay much attention to, all were chosen by Ashbery for particular reasons that reveal his tastes and memories.

See close-ups of each image and hear Ashbery and David Kermani discuss the provenance of images by clicking on the back staircase icon in the kitchen.