Frieze from the Rothschild Store, Chicago, Illinois 1881

Editor: This is the Frieze from the Rothschild Store, Chicago, Illinois, created in 1881 by Adler & Sullivan, Architects. It's a relief sculpture. The geometric shapes have a sort of mesmerizing quality. What does this piece evoke for you? Curator: What strikes me is its overt attempt to elevate commercial architecture. Here you have a frieze, typically found ornamenting civic or religious buildings, applied to a department store. What statement does that make about the social role of commerce in 1880s Chicago? Was shopping becoming a kind of secular ritual? Editor: That's interesting. It does seem to borrow from more established forms to legitimize something new. Why this specific aesthetic – what we now call Art Nouveau? Curator: The Art Nouveau style, with its organic forms and emphasis on craftsmanship, served as a visual language of progress and modernity. Its integration into a commercial space subtly endorsed the aspirations and perceived values of the emerging middle class. Who are the intended consumers? Are they expected to recognize this artistic gesture? Editor: So, it's not just decoration; it's actively shaping how people view the act of buying and selling. It almost feels… propagandistic? Curator: Precisely. By incorporating such friezes, the Rothschild store wasn't just selling goods; it was selling an *experience* infused with art, culture, and social status. That kind of sets a precedent for how we perceive public spaces today, don’t you think? Editor: Absolutely! I had never thought about the political aspects of Art Nouveau and how commercial spaces influenced society. Curator: Me neither, it shows that we have a long way to go, and much to analyze and discuss about the political imagery in artworks that surround our spaces.