Robert W. Roloson Rowhouses, Chicago, IL (1894) (S.026)
Photographs By Gilman Lane, Circa 1940-41
Little can be found about Gilman Lane. He photographed building in the Chicago area including many of Wright’s work. His photographs were given to the Oak Park Public Library after his death in 1961. These Lane images were photographed after the Manson images, but at the most a year or two. If you look at image #2 from both collections, you will notice that the tree trunk painted white in the Manson image #2 has faded in the Lane #2. Other similarities include the size of the trees, the flower pots sitting on the balustrades are in the same place, the 55 gallon drums are still there. A minor change is the one house number 3215 on unit two that is visible in this set. 1: Viewed from the Northwest. Approximately 45 years after completion. Units have basically remained unchanged on the outside. Balusters in front of unit three and four have been removed. Down spout between the third and fourth unit has been moved. The building on the right is still existing. Photographed in the spring or early summer.
1a: Detail of three left units. Unit number 3215 is visible on unit two. 2: Detail of the four entries, viewed from the West. 2a: Detail of the entry to units one and two. One concept Wright used was to hide the entrance. Here he offsets the entrance through the balustrade so that it is not directly in front of the entrance. His drawings also indicates that he designed the front door to be deeply inset, the appearance of being hidden.
2b: Detail of the entry to units three and four. Two extra corner squares that set off the entry in the balustrades are visible in front of unit three. They are set at a different level which indicates they were salvaged and moved during the removal of the balusters in front of units three and four.
3: Viewed from the Southwest.
4: Detail of unit three and four. Viewed from the Southwest.
5: Units viewed from the Southwest.
6: Detail of unit three and four. Viewed from the Southwest.
Text by Douglas M. Steiner, Copyright 2008 BACK [flw/_Private/Navbar Be-mail.htm]
