The grand facade of St. Patrick's Cathedral is the subject of this wintertime scene by the American artist Guy Arthur Wiggins. The oil on canvas is an ode to the poetic ambiance of the city as Wiggins presents his birds-eye view of a bustling 5th Avenue. Patches of snow cover the busy street, while the flags lining the streets and the yellow of the taxicabs add bursts of playful color to the otherwise muted scene. With its energetic, yet meticulous brushwork and romantic palette, the work embodies the best qualities of Wiggins' coveted compositions.

Wiggins was the son of the last great American impressionist, Guy Carlton Wiggins, and the grandson of landscape painter Carleton Wiggins, an important member of the Old Lyme Art Colony. Few contemporary painters can claim such an impressive familial legacy, and Wiggins certainly lives up to his name. The artist is beloved for his scenes of New York City in which he captures the city's moved famous buildings, its bustling streets and its tranquil parks. His compositions possess a liveliness and lush vibrancy that reflect his talent for painting en plein air, a skill which he inherited from his father and grandfather.

Born in 1920, Wiggins was naturally surrounded by artists for his entire life, and he showed a penchant for painting early. At the age of just nine, he won his first art prize, claiming a gold model in the New York City school art competition. He volunteered for a brief stint with the armed forces, and later pursued a career with the Foreign Service. During this period, he studied art at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington D.C.

In 1975, he officially retired in order to focus entirely on his art, and he enrolled at the Art Students League of New York to further hone his skill. He has been making a name for himself ever since. His works have been the subject of numerous one-man shows and group exhibitions, and examples of his paintings can be found in museum collections throughout New York and Connecticut.