Frank Lloyd Wright and the House Beautiful

“Turning away from traditional European models of homes and their furnishings, this bold yet practical visionary developed a truly American style of architecture, creating a harmony of house and nature by attuning a dwelling to its surrounding landscape.”

– Grace Glueck, New York Times

“By playing down the drama of Wright’s life and focusing on his material contributions, the exhibition succeeds in explaining how he could produce some of the most comforting and soulful houses ever built.”

– Juanita Dugdale, Art New England

During his remarkably prolific 70-year career, Frank Lloyd Wright was committed not only to the development of a truly American style of architecture but also to the creation of furnishings and accessories that were both functional and beautiful, to enhance the surroundings in his revolutionary spaces. Frank Lloyd Wright and the House Beautifulpresented his passion for creating a new way of life for Americans through architecture. In particular, the exhibition focused on his skill in creating harmony between architectural structure and interior design while fulfilling the needs of a modern, American lifestyle. The exhibition presented more than 100 original objects, including furniture, metalwork, textiles, original drawings, publications, and accessories from the collection of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and other public and private collections.

The exhibition was divided into three themes that embodied the philosophy and methods of the “house beautiful.” First, the exhibition revealed how Wright sought to develop a modern interior reflective of a uniquely American spirit of democracy and individual freedom. Next, the exhibition tracked his development in integrating the space with furnishings and archi­tectural elements; lastly, it documented his efforts to incorporate these ideas into the homes of average Americans. Each section of the exhibition included wall panels of period and contem­porary photographs of Wright interiors, to provide the context for the original objects on view.

This exhibition was curated by Virginia T. Boyd, professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Textiles and Design program. The exhibition tour was organized by International Arts & Artists in cooperation with The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Scottsdale, AZ, USA. A fully illustrated catalogue was produced for this tour.

Share this article:
More...