Elevator panel from the Manhattan Building, Chicago, Illinois 1886 - 1891

This cast-iron elevator panel, designed by architect William LeBaron Jenney, is an exquisite example of the intricate detailing found in late 19th-century architecture. Created for the Manhattan Building in Chicago, the panel features a delicate, repeating motif of stylized floral elements, which are arranged in a symmetrical pattern, characteristic of the Art Nouveau movement. The panel, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies the artistic sensibilities that flourished during a period of rapid architectural innovation.