Bethesda Fountain
The deisgners of Central Park, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, designed Bethesda Terrace to be a social hub and meeting spot, which it continues to be today. In the center of the terrace is Bethesda Fountain, which serves as a conduit for ghosts in The Night Tourist.
The Angel of the Waters sits atop the fountain. In the Bible, she gives the pool of Bethesda healing powers. In Olmsted and Vaux's vision of Central Park, she reminds New Yorkers of the importance of fresh water (a subject also dear to Egbert Viele).
Emma Stebbins (pictured above) designed the sculpture in 1873. She was the first woman to have a piece of art commissioned by the city.