John C. GarnHist 141

T & Th 0930-1100

The early years of Frank Lloyd

Wright Born Frank Lincoln Wright June 8th, 1867 Richland Center, Wisconsin Changed name to Frank Lloyd Wright after parents

divorced Mother believed he would be an architect even before

he was born

Dropped out of high school in 1885 Worked for Alan Conover for 2 years

Completed 2 semesters at University of Wisconsin in 1886 as a special student under Conover’s tutelage

Left suddenly for Chicago in 1887 to become an architect

Training

Chicago’s building boom Great Fire of 1871 destroyed most of the inner

circle of Chicago The depression in 1873 retarded construction

until the end of the decade Chicago was also in the middle of a population

boom which made new development plentiful

Wright joins the architectural firm of Joseph Lyman Silsbee as a draftsman Silsbee worked primarily Victorian and

revivalist styles Wright worked there for about a year

Wright joins Adler and Sullivan as an apprentice Progressive vs. classical

Sullivan believed that architecture should grow from observing elements native to the surrounding area

Form follows function Wright is promoted to head draftsman

Remained with Sullivan until 1893 Moonlighting caused him to split with Adler and

Sullivan and begin his own firm

The good building is not one that hurts the landscape, but one that makes the landscape more beautiful than it was before the building was built.

-FLW

Wright was also heavily influenced by Japanese art Went to Japan with wife Kitty Studied Japanese architecture and design

Felt that Japanese architecture eliminated all but the essential elements of any design

Liked how the Japanese architecture was connected to nature

Amassed a large collection of Japanese prints Traded in Japanese art until he died Frequently used his art collection as collateral

for loans or to remain financially solvent