Brandeis University Press, 2026.
This is a hybrid program, in person in the gallery and online.
The famous publicity photograph "Lunch on a Beam," also known as "Lunch Atop a Skyscraper," pictures eleven ironworkers – mid-air on an I-beam bench – during the construction of Rockefeller Center’s RCA Building in 1932. Despite the image’s renown, little factual information or serious history has been available about it. Now, in a new book, Lunch on a Beam (April 2026), Christine Roussel – long-time archivist at Rockefeller Center and author of the definitive books The Art of Rockefeller Center and The Guide to the Art of Rockefeller Center – unpacks the story behind one of America’s most iconic photographs.
Though often seen as a spontaneous snapshot of daring laborers, the image was staged as a publicity tool during the Great Depression. Roussel blends art, architectural, and social history to illuminate the photographers, publicists, financiers, and immigrant and Indigenous workers behind the picture—revealing how the photograph not only honored working men but also helped promote John D. Rockefeller, Jr.’s ambitious vision and shape the mythology of New York City.
At this event, Christine will be in conversation with William Bartlett, former head of executive communications at NBC Universal and the author of NBC and 30 Rock: A View from Inside.
To register for this FREE program, click on the link above to RSVP. You will be redirected to Ticketstripe to reserve your seat in the gallery. Members receive priority registration by emailing [email protected] with the names of all guests. Want to become member? Click here! The program will also be livestreamed to the Skyscraper Museum YouTube channel. You do NOT need to register for the livestream.
Christine Roussel
Christine Roussel is the archivist of the Rockefeller Center Archive. Previously, she worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as director of the reproductions studio and special assistant to the director. She also advised Vice President Nelson Rockefeller on his art collection and founded C. Roussel Inc., which specializes in art conservation. Her books include The Art of Rockefeller Center and The Guide to the Art of Rockefeller Center. She lives in New York City.
William Bartlett
William Bartlett is a writer and historian based in Montclair, New Jersey. He served for many years as the head of executive communications at NBC Universal, in which capacity his writing appeared regularly in a variety of publications. His most recent book, NBC and 30 Rock: A View from Inside, was published in 2018. He earned his Ph.D. in Literatures in English from Rutgers University.