Auditorium Building: Section of the Hotel Bar c. 1887 - 1941

Adler and Sullivan crafted this section of the Hotel Bar within the Auditorium Building with meticulous detail. Notice the recurring motifs: circular forms, stylized leaves, and spiral patterns. These are not merely decorative; they are echoes of ancient symbols, laden with cultural memory. The circular forms evoke the sun, a life-giving force revered across civilizations, from ancient Egypt to the classical world. The stylized leaves, reminiscent of acanthus or laurel, speak to ideas of growth, prosperity, and victory, recurring in architectural ornamentation from Roman temples to Renaissance palaces. The spiral pattern, an ancient symbol, represents the cyclical nature of time, the continuous flow of life, death, and rebirth. Consider how these motifs, deeply embedded in our collective consciousness, resonate across epochs, resurfacing in different guises, each iteration subtly altering its meaning. Like palimpsests, these symbols bear the weight of history, inviting us to contemplate the enduring power of visual language to transcend time and connect us to our shared human experience.