When he was born in 1822, Frederick Law Olmsted’s future profession of landscape architect did not yet exist in America. By the end of the 19th century, however, Olmsted had created hundreds of parks throughout the United States, thus defining landscape design for the country.

Blending documentary and dramatization, the program explores the creation of Olmsted’s first major work, New York City’s Central Park, in 1858. The project was fraught with obstacles – political, financial, and topographical – yet the completed park serves as a testament to Olmsted’s unique and pioneering vision.The glory of Olmsted’s talent is that he was able to transform acres of raw land into natural art forms for all people to enjoy and appreciate in their own way.

1990 / 58 min. / DVD / Color

© 1990 The Metropolitan Museum of Art