Farmers' and Merchants' Union Bank (Columbus, WI) : Detail of two vertical decorative blocks centered under sign
- Creator:
- Sullivan, Louis H., 1856-1924
- Published/Created:
- Columbus, Wisconsin, United States
completed 1919 - Date Depicted:
- 5/15/1990
1900 AD - 1949 AD - Materials:
- brick
marble - Notes:
- The last phase in Sullivan's career was largely devoted to designing banks in small towns in the Midwest. Midwestern agriculture thrived in the early 20th century, leading to a revolution in rural banking and the proliferation of small institutions sympathetic to local needs. These buildings posed no problems in the expression of structure, as they were all low, load-bearing brick constructions; they did, however, raise important questions of institutional expression. Sullivan's solution was to make them monumental, as befitted banks, but 'modern' and unrelated to historical precedent in order to communicate their transformed character. They are the final and most richly impressive demonstrations of his ornamental skill, with their rich use of polychromy in brick and terracotta. Furthermore, the design of each was sensitively adapted to its setting, usually at the end of the main street facing the town square (as at Owatonna, Grinnell, Newark, Sidney and Columbus). At Columbus an arcade down the side of the bank frames the town's Civil War monument. Although these buildings were in remote areas, the care bestowed on them by Sullivan suggests that here he had finally found appreciative recipients for his exquisite talents.
- Topics:
- Architecture -- United States -- 20th century -- (YVRC)
- Period/Style:
- Modern
Modernist
Twentieth century - Culture:
- American
- Accession Number:
- 1A1-SL-FM-B5
- Genre:
- architecture (AAT)
banks (financial institutions) (AAT) - Format:
- Image
- Content Type:
- Sculptures, Models, & Architecture
- Rights:
- Copyright Scott Gilchrist, Archivision, Inc
The use of this image may be subject to the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) or to site license or other rights management terms and conditions. The person using the image is liable for any infringement. - Access Restrictions:
- Yale Community Only
- Digital:
- architectural exteriors; business, commerce and trade construction buildings; commercial buildings; financial institutions; banks (buildings)
- Source Creator:
- Gilchrist, Scott
- Source Title:
- Archivision Module Two
- Source Created:
- 2878 Chamonix, Montreal QC
Archivision, Inc.
5/15/1990 - Source Note:
- Purchase, Visual Resources Collection, May, 2011; photographer Scott Gilchrist
- Yale Collection:
- Visual Resources Collection
- Digital Collection:
- Visual Resources Collection
- Local Record Number:
- 4152
- OID:
- 10166456
- PID:
- digcoll:1825530