House for Mr. S.W. Allerton, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: West Elevation c. 1884

Henry Lord Gay created this elevation drawing of the “House for Mr. S.W. Allerton, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.” Gay, an architect, was working in a period where the language of architecture became increasingly tied to social identity and economic aspiration. Architectural drawings like this one were not just technical documents. They were visual statements about wealth, taste, and power. Allerton, as the client, would have used the house to display his status. Examine the intricate details of the facade, the grandeur of the scale. This wasn't just a house, but a declaration of belonging to a certain class, a visual performance of the American dream. Consider how architecture is a social art, that actively participates in shaping our understanding of identity.