Baluster Panel, One of Set
1 of 2
Object Label
Louis Sullivan had a great many of these panels cast for the grand staircase in Chicago’s Schlesinger & Mayer department store. Although the panels were always intended for interior use, Sullivan had them patinated to appear as though they had weathered over time outdoors, thereby connecting the interior design with the natural world outside. The design for the balustrades exhibits Sullivan’s predilection for carefully controlled geometry and stylized nature typical of his expression of the Prairie School style. The symmetrical leaves and flowers seem to be growing on vertical trellises. The repetition of the closely placed balustrades created a dynamic rhythm up and down the staircase.
Caption
Louis Henry Sullivan American, 1856–1924. Baluster Panel, One of Set, ca.1903. Cast iron, paint, 40 x 9 3/4 x 2 1/4 in. (101.6 x 24.8 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Carson, Pirie and Scott Co., 71.42.3. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 71.42.3_PS9.jpg)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Designer
Title
Baluster Panel, One of Set
Date
ca.1903
Medium
Cast iron, paint
Classification
Dimensions
40 x 9 3/4 x 2 1/4 in. (101.6 x 24.8 x 5.7 cm)
Signatures
no signature
Inscriptions
no inscriptions
Markings
no marks
Credit Line
Gift of Carson, Pirie and Scott Co.
Accession Number
71.42.3
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Frequent Art Questions
What were the circumstances under which the museum acquired the Louis Sullivan metalwork?
The pair of balusters on view on the 4th floor were gifted to the museum by Carson, Pirie and Scott Co. in 1971.I'm not certain why pieces of the architecture were removed from their flagship store in 1971. Perhaps they were just remodeling. I do know that in the 1960s and 70s many historic buildings were being demolished and or significantly renovated. These losses to architectural history led to the creation of "landmark status" and other preservation measures.I did happen to find a slideshow published by the Chicago Tribune that includes an image of these balusters on a staircase!https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-historic-carsons-photos-20180418-photogallery.htmlThanks for looking!
Have information?
Have information about an artwork? Contact us at