Lunette and decorative panel 1884 - 1885

Here we see a lunette and decorative panel, made of terracotta by Louis Henri Sullivan. Sullivan was a prominent architect who believed ornament should express the function and spirit of a building. His designs broke from European traditions, embracing an American identity through organic, nature-inspired forms. Sullivan saw architecture as a democratic art, accessible and uplifting for all, regardless of class. These panels offer a glimpse into the cultural optimism of the late 19th century, a time of industrial expansion and a growing middle class. The stylized, symmetrical designs evoke both the machine age and the natural world. The lunette, with its radiating sunburst and swirling foliage, suggests growth and progress. The panels below echo this sentiment with their stylized plant motifs. Sullivan's ornamentation sought to elevate the everyday, transforming buildings into spaces that inspired and celebrated the human experience. In his own words, he sought to create "a new, vital, and distinctly American form of architectural art."