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System of Architectural Ornament, Plate 15, Values of the Multiple Leaf

A work made of graphite on strathmore paper.

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  • A work made of graphite on strathmore paper.

Date:

1922

Artist:

Louis H. Sullivan
American, 1856-1924

About this artwork

In 1922 a small group of Louis Sullivan’s friends and colleagues gathered at the Art Institute of Chicago and commissioned him to produce a series of drawings illustrating his philosophy of architecture. Completed in the last year of his life, this project—an essay and 20 detailed plates—outlines Sullivan’s belief that ornament was the supreme expression of a designer’s intellect and creative freedom. The resulting 1924 publication, A System of Architectural Ornament According with a Philosophy of Man’s Powers, was highly influential for the next generation of architects in Chicago and remains a powerful expression of Sullivan’s ideals about organic and modern American architecture.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Architecture and Design

Artist

Louis H. Sullivan (Architect)

Title

System of Architectural Ornament, Plate 15, Values of the Multiple Leaf

Place

United States (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1922

Medium

Graphite on Strathmore paper

Inscriptions

signed and dated at bottom center of design, "Louis H Sullivan fecit Chicago Aug 29th 1922"

Dimensions

57.7 × 73.5 cm (22 3/4 × 29 in.)

Credit Line

Commissioned by The Art Institute of Chicago

Reference Number

1988.15.15

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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