Wright Chat

SpringGreen · Joined: 31 Mar 2006 Posts: 331

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/fullRecord.asp?id=92485

This is one of the photos taken in 1957 at Taliesin by Richard Vesey (photographer for the Wisconsin State Journal).
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"The building as architecture is born out of the heart of man, permanent consort to the ground, comrade to the trees, true reflection of man in the realm of his own spirit." FLLW, "Two Lectures in Architecture: in the Realm of Ideas".

Roderick Grant · Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 3947

Though there's a lot more on his desk than I have on mine (people often thought my desk at Paramount was vacant when I was at lunch), the tidiness is something I can relate to.

DRN · Joined: 10 Jul 2006 Posts: 1551 Location: New Jersey

I wonder where the three signature tiles on the desk ended up.

SDR · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 8032 Location: San Francisco

I don't wonder at the presence of a very ordinary fluorescent desk lamp -- perhaps a new product when Mr Wright acquired it, and an artist is allowed some leeway when it comes to his favorite source of illumination -- but that leather-bound desk blotter is beyond my understanding. Could it possibly be up to his aesthetic standard ?

The photo reminds me of one by Pedro Guerrero, showing Mr Wright using that hex-handled knife to sharpen a pencil ("Draw the knife toward you," he instructed). Here is the page from Guerrero's book Picturing Wright on which he recounts the taking of two photos:

http://tinyurl.com/6suubyg

Mr Wright's strabismus was noted by one reader, a year or two ago. If present, it shows clearly here . . .

SDR

John · Joined: 25 Mar 2005 Posts: 264

I believe that hex handled sharpener is an X-ACTO knife.
I used to have one like it.
They are still sold.

SDR · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 8032 Location: San Francisco

I wonder which one Wright would have found, in his day.

http://tinyurl.com/7g47nje

http://tinyurl.com/6suubyg

I think the General might have slightly thicker handle ?

SDR

Roderick Grant · Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 3947

As to the blotter, how could it be more basic? One needs a blotter to write on, and a blotter needs to be held in place. The light fixture is also about as stripped to the core as possible, and was a good enough design to last for decades; I remember encountering both designs many times in my peregrinations.

PEG took two exceptional portraits of FLW. First there's the one in the Taliesin Studio with the model of the Call Press Building in the background ("A Photographer's Journey" pg 57) which sums up the essence of the man. The other is the last portrait taken of FLW in 1959 just 3 weeks before his death ("A Photographer's Journey" pp 106-7). He looks forlorn as they talked about first wife Catherine Wright, who had recently died.

SDR · Joined: 17 Jun 2006 Posts: 8032 Location: San Francisco

Those of us old enough will have seen that generic blotter-holder -- with its embossed gold-toned decoration and with (or without) the rounded corners -- too many times to count -- which is why I'm surprised it was good enough for Mr Wright ! But -- custom-made clothes and cars, etc etc or not -- I suppose Mr Wright's milk came from ordinary cows . . .

SDR

Roderick Grant · Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 3947

His living room chairs, the ones with the Queen Anne legs, came from the furniture store, too.