Passing By Hans Christian Andersen Monument in Central Park

A fashionably-dress young woman and her dog pass by and take a glance at the monument to Hans Christian Andersen in Central Park. Hans appears to be noticing.

The larger-than-life bronze statue is of the famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, best known for his fairy tales like The Ugly Duckling, The Little Mermaid, and Thumbelina.

Andersen is shown seated on a polished pink granite bench, with an open book on his lap — its pages turned to The Ugly Duckling — reading to a small bronze duckling at his feet. The sculpture was created by American sculptor Georg John Lober, with the bench designed by Otto F. Langmann.

As for the young woman, not only is she fashionably-dressed, she is carrying a very fashionable Little Brown Bag from Bloomingdale’s, a simple kraft-paper bag with twisted handles that itself became a fashion statement and symbol of New York City chic. The minimalist design, created by Massimo Vignelli, intentionally left off the store's name at first, making it a curiosity that people wanted to carry, turning it into a status symbol. \