Welcome to 1 West 67th Street

One of the city’s most famous and illustrious buildings, the Hotel Des Artistes is the largest “studio” building in the city and was designed as an artist’s cooperative apartment building. The 18-story building has 115 apartments, most duplexes with double-height living rooms and balcony bedrooms. It is one of several such “studio” buildings on the block between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue designed by George Mort Pollard, in 1918. The building was developed by Walter Russell several years after a group of artists, included famed Impressionist Childe Hassam, built a “studio” building at 27 West 67th Street. The base of the building’s façade is decorated with many figures of artists and many of the apartments have English Renaissance style paneling, beamed ceilings and fireplaces. Among the building’s many famous residents have been Isadora Duncan, the dancer, Noel Coward, the playwright, writer Fannie Hurst, who had a very large triplex penthouse, New York City Mayor John V. Lindsay, writer Alexander Woollcott, and Norman Rockwell, the artist. Despite its name, the building was never a hotel although its amenities were and are very impressive. The building had a communal restaurant, squash courts, a swimming pool, a theater and a ballroom as well as its own telephone switchboard. The theater and ballroom have been converted to other uses, but the building and most apartments now have their own kitchens. The neo-Gothic-style building, which has a canopied entrance and large lobby, has a concierge and elevator person. in New York City at Cooper Union, the Chase School, the New York School of Art, and the Art Students League. He was among the leading illustrators in demand by the most popular periodicals in the early part of the 20th century.

The Café des Artistes was originally designed to provide meals for the tenants in the building, whose apartments often had no kitchens, or minimal facilities, but who would buy their own ingredients for the chefs to prepare. In 1975 the media consultant David Garth, a board member, asked George Lang to take over the ground-floor restaurant. Mr. Lang, who escaped World War II from Hungary went on to transform Café des Artistes into one of New York’s most legendary restaurants of all times. His formula proved to be an enduring hit with performers at Lin- Howard Chandler Christy at work in his Hotel des Artistes studio, New coln Center and a long list of actors, celebrities, politicians, and York City, 1920s. At left, portrait of Will Hayes. Above, self-portrait. high New York society. Financial troubles and a sour economy Rich in history, the landmarked mural series of “Fantasy Scenes forced him to close the restaurant in August 2009. with Naked Beauties”, by Howard Chandler Christy, were painted in the end of 1920s, and completed by 1935, when Christy lived in New York City and had his studio at the Hotel des Artistes. There are nine oil-on-canvas murals – some are mounted on wood, while others are directly on the wall. Wood Nymphs (Autumn), Tarzan and His Mate, Ponce De Leon, Bird and foliage (Small insert above Ponce De Leon), The Parrot Girl, Fountain of Youth, The Swing Girls, Birds and foliage (Small insert to the left of The Swing Girls), Wood Nymphs (Spring). American illustrator and painter of celebrity portraits Howard Chandler Christy (1873–1952) was one of America’s most distinguished illustrators, whose work, like that of Norman Rockwell, successfully captured the pulse of the nation. Chandler was also a much sought-after teacher, giving classes George Lang in 1985 at Café des Artistes. Under new owners, Gianfranco and Paula Bolla-Sorrentino, along with their talented Chef Vito Gnazzo, the restaurant reopened in May 10th, 2011, under a new name, The Leopard at des Artistes, after a much needed gut-renovation to the space, and restoration of the historical murals. Chef Vito Gnazzo - The Leopard’s partner Executive Chef, as well as, Executive Chef at Il Gattopardo and Mozzarella & Vino since its foundation - created the Southern Italian menu that finds its roots in the area once know as The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, mid 1800s, and the culinary traditions of the regions of Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, Apulia, Sardinia, and of course Sicily, reaching a balance between dishes based on rural elements, such as pasta, vegetables, cheese, and seafood ingredients from the Costiera. A variety of recipes are influenced by the local aristocracy, in contrast from the popular traditions, containing poor but authentic and nutritionally healthy ingredients.

Full catering department, delivery and private room available. DINNER, Mon – Sat, 5 PM ~11PM Sunday Dinner until 10 PM BRUNCH, Sat and Sun, 11:30 AM ~ 3 PM Be well, and keep in touch! The Leopard Family

The Sorrentinos, Paula and Gianfranco, with Chef Vito Gnazzo. The Leopard of de Artistes dining room