Preliminary Study for Huntington House Ceiling c. 1893

Elihu Vedder's "Preliminary Study for Huntington House Ceiling" (c. 1893) is a masterful example of the artist's decorative style. The study depicts a scene with several figures engaged in dynamic poses, surrounded by a swirling, organic, almost fantastical pattern. This elaborate design, with its contrasting use of light and dark tones, and its intricate interplay of lines and forms, embodies Vedder's signature approach to decorative art, which he often used for murals and decorative objects.