Lunette and decorative panel 1884 - 1885
louishenrisullivan
minneapolisinstituteofart
relief, sculpture, terracotta, architecture
art-nouveau
relief
geometric pattern
traditional architecture
geometric
sculpture
united-states
terracotta
architecture
This terracotta lunette and decorative panel set, created by Louis Sullivan between 1884-1885, exemplifies Sullivan’s signature style of organic, plant-inspired ornamentation. The panels, now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, showcase Sullivan's innovative use of materials and his commitment to integrating art and architecture. The intricate, swirling forms, reminiscent of stylized leaves and tendrils, create a sense of movement and energy, reflecting Sullivan's belief in the power of nature to inspire artistic expression.
Comments
Louis Sullivan designed these terracotta panels for the exterior of the Scoville Building in Chicago, one of the Adler and Sullivan firm's earliest commissions. It required them to remodel an existing Adler structure to accord with a new, much larger addition. The terracotta pieces shown here formed part of the organic decoration of stylized plants with which Sullivan tied the two buildings together. This lunette ornamented the arch above the windows of the top (fifth) story. It has an undulating design of ferns unfurling and would have complemented other organically-inspired terracotta pieces throughout the exterior.
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