Frank Lloyd Wright

Francis W. Little House, Wayzata, MN
Domino's Center for Architecture and Design, Ann Arbor, MI
Christie's New York, Important 20th Century Design including Arts & Crafts and Architectural Designs, June 9, 1995, lot 42
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Deborah S. Haight and Peter F. Blume, Frank Lloyd Wright:  The Library from the Francis W. Little House, Allentown, 1978, pp. 10, 14, and 17-18 (for related windows)
David A. Hanks, The Decorative Designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, New York, 1979, plate 1-10 (for related windows)
Edgar Kaufmann, Jr., Frank Lloyd Wright at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1982, pp. 26-35 (for a discussion of the Francis W. Little House)
Thomas A. Heinz, Frank Lloyd Wright:  Interiors and Furniture, New York, 1994, pp. 156-159 (for a discussion of the Francis W. Little House)
Julie L. Sloan, Frank Lloyd Wright:  Light Screens, New York, 2001, p. 126 (for the present lot illustrated)
Julie L. Sloan, Light Screens, The Complete Leaded-Glass Windows of Frank Lloyd Wright, 2001, pp. 222-224 (for a discussion of the Francis W. Little House)

Overall in very good and stable condition. One of the six panels (first panel from the left in the catalogue illustration) was recently conserved by Venturella Studio, one of the leading restoration studios in the country specializing in stained glass windows. The facing right and bottom borders of this panel required conservation as a result of a prior impact. Venturella Studio straightened and stabilized the leaded cames in these localized areas and also replaced three pieces of damaged clear glass. (The replacement glass matches the clear glass utilized throughout the panels in terms of clarity and thickness.) One of the damaged pieces of clear glass was large enough to be recut and reused to replace a fourth smaller piece of glass in the panel. All of the impacted cames along the right and bottom borders of the panel were stabilized, cleaned and repatinated in copper and darkened to match the original patina. This restoration was sensitively undertaken and is not discernable when viewing the panel. Each of the six panels were also sensitively cleaned by Venturella Studio. (Please contact the 20th Century Design department for a conservation report from Venturella Studio.) The second panel from the left (in the catalogue illustration) with two small and minor hairline cracks to the clear glass, both stable (one located along the left facing border, one located 6 inches below the upper border). With a few minor edge flecks to the outer borders of the glass adjacent to the caming, all very minor and possibly inherent in the making. The caming in each of the panels is stable with light rubbing and wear consistent with age. On the painted side of the frames, some of the adjacent caming shows traces of paint. The framing and hardware on each of the panels appears to be original. The exterior side of the framing is painted green and black as seen in the catalogue illustration. The interior side of the framing is exposed oak and retains its original patinated metal hardware. The framing throughout with surface scratches, abrasions and edge wear with some associated losses to the wood and painted finish consistent with age and use. The painted side of the frames with several scattered old nail holes. As this was the exterior side of the panels this may have been from exterior weather proofing. Sotheby’s has built a large custom light box for the display of the six panels which will be made available to the successful purchaser. (Please contact the department for photographs showing the gallery installation of this lot.) When viewed firsthand the panels are incredibly engaging and present a strong pictorial composition. A rare opportunity to acquire six panels from this iconic and historic commission. ---
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In 1908, Francis W. Little commissioned Frank Lloyd wright to design “Northome,” his second residence constructed by Wright.  The design of the building exemplified Wright’s approach and commitment to simplification of form.  Simplicity, he believed, does not imply a lack of complexity, but is rather “a synthetic, positive quality, in which we may see evidence of mind, breadth of scheme, wealth of detail, and withal a sense of completeness found in a tree or flower.”

Wright’s emphasis on simplicity and organic architecture is manifest particularly in the more than 300 windows incorporated into his design for Northome.  Each panel is a thoughtfully conceived unit that contributes to the overall composition, which extended throughout the residence’s entire group of windows. Passages of densely articulated geometric shapes offer abstract representations of the natural world and are balanced with open expanses of unadorned glass.  It is possible that Wright’s window design was informed by a trip he had taken to Paris where he would have been exposed to the architecture of the Eiffel Tower.  The influence of Japanese aesthetics is also apparent in the stylized forms that characterize these panels.  A red square in the bottom corner of each panel is believed to serve as Wright’s signature, and was likely also adapted from the red ink seals that were commonly stamped on Japanese prints.

While the Little house was demolished in 1972, a period replica of the living room interior at the Metropolitan Museum of Art captures the essence of the building and includes windows from the same commission as the panels on offer in the present lot.  This set of six panels presents a rare opportunity to acquire a group of windows that together form a pictorial ensemble.