21 Dec frank lloyd wright-designed exterior william winslow house painted cast staff leafage fragment added to bld. 51 musuem and archive
an original and largley intact painted cast staff or fibrous plaster frank lloyd wright-designed leafage panel salvaged from the william h. winslow house (1894) during renovations was added to bld. 51 museum collection earlier this week. the chocolate brown colored fragment features all over leafage with deep undercuts.
the william h. winslow house, located at 515 auvergne place in river forest, illinois, is a landmark residence designed by frank lloyd wright. completed in 1894, it was wright’s first major commission after establishing his independent practice.
the house is widely considered the “first prairie house,” marking a pivotal transition from the influenced styles of wright’s mentor, louis sullivan, toward his mature prairie school aesthetic.
the front facade is remarkably symmetrical and “urban,” featuring a horizontal division of bedford limestone, speckled roman brick, and a sullivanesque style cast staff frieze. the rear facade is asymmetrical and “rural,” composed of a dynamic mass of irregular geometric forms, including a stair tower and a conservatory.
