Armchair, c. 1911-1912

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Purcell and Elmslie designed a number of Midwestern banks. These square brick buildings with their opaque art-glass window walls embodied the qualities of solidity and stability important to bankers and their customers. The most elaborate was the Merchants National Bank of Winona, Minnesota, still in use as a bank today. Twelve chairs of this design were made for the bank directors' boardroom. Their cube-like shape echoes that of the bank building. The vertical spindle "screens" forming the sides probably influenced Purcell and Elmslie's designs of armchairs and decorative interior elements for the Edna S. Purcell residence (now the Purcell-Cutts house), in Minneapolis, designed at the same time.

Details
Title
Armchair
Artist Life
1880–1965
Role
Designer
Accession Number
93.1
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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