• COVID-19 Resources
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Promotions
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • June 5, 2025

Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper

"THE NEWSPAPER YOU CAN TRUST SINCE 1964"

  • News
  • Editorials
  • Education
  • Urban Business
  • Health
  • Religion
  • Upcoming Events
  • Classifieds

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Milwaukee Art Museum Celebrates 150th Anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Birthday

July 22, 2017

Wasmuth Portfolio considered the most significant collection of architect’s early work

Milwaukee, Wis. – This summer, the Milwaukee Art Museum joins prominent institutions across the country in celebrating the 150th anniversary of Frank Lloyd Wright’s birthday. Frank Lloyd Wright: Buildings for the Prairie is on view July 28–October 15 and presents a selection of the renowned architect’s designs from the Wasmuth Portfolio alongside related pieces of his furniture, metal work and stained glass. The Wasmuth Portfolio is considered the most significant collection of Wright’s early work, showcasing the breadth and beauty of his output.

“We are honored to celebrate this American icon from Wisconsin,” said Brandon Ruud, Abert family curator of American art at the Milwaukee Art Museum. “The portfolio emerged at a critical moment for Wright, at a time when he was at a professional crossroads. It lends unique insight into his early development and the evolution of the Prairie School of architecture.”

Widely recognized as one of the most prolific and well-known architects of the 20th century, Wright frequently published his architectural designs and theories in magazines and journals; the Wasmuth Portfolio is among the first of these complex, large-scale efforts. In the introduction to the collection, Wright described his inspiration for these “buildings for the prairie,” as the “gently rolling or level prairies of the Middle West.” The portfolio introduced the architect’s work to his European contemporaries and is largely credited with profoundly influencing the direction of 20th-century architecture. A digital component to the exhibition will allow visitors to explore in greater depth the illustrations and text of the Wasmuth Portfolio.

The exhibition also includes examples of furniture, metalwork and stained-glass from some of the master’s most early and iconic residential designs, including the Avery Coonley House, the Darwin D. Martin House, and his own Oak Park, Illinois home and studio. Many on loan from the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, these decorative arts complement drawings and studies from the Museum’s exceptional Wright and George Mann Niedecken Archives, also on view in the exhibition.

The exhibition will be on view in the Museum’s Bradley Family Gallery.

Catalogue and imaging support is provided by the Milwaukee Art Museum’s American Arts Society.

Gallery Talks

Tues, 1:30 p.m.

Aug 22 and Sept 26

Member Drink + Think

Thurs, Aug 10, 5:30–7:30 p.m.

With Brandon Ruud, Abert family curator of American art

About the Milwaukee Art Museum

Home to a rich collection of more than 30,000 works of art, the Milwaukee Art Museum is located on the shores of Lake Michigan. Its campus includes the Santiago Calatrava–designed Quadracci Pavilion, annually showcasing three feature exhibitions, and the Eero Saarinen–designed Milwaukee County War Memorial Center and David Kahler‒designed addition. The Museum recently reopened its Collection Galleries, debuting nearly 2,500 world-class works of art within dramatically transformed galleries and a new lakefront addition. This reimagined space also allows for the presentation of additional changing exhibitions.

Share:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Popular Interests In This Article: Frank Lloyd Wright, Milwaukee Art Museum, Wasmuth Portfolio

Read More - Related Articles

  • Milwaukee Art Museum – Be here.
  • Art in Bloom April 3 to 6 at Milwaukee Art Museum
  • Robert Longo: The Acceleration of History Closes on February 23 at Milwaukee Art Museum
  • It’s back! Milwaukee Art Museum After Dark on January 24, February 21 and March 21
  • “Carving Out Time” by Latoya Hobbs Closes on January 5 at Milwaukee Art Museum
Become Our Fan On Facebook
Find Us On Facebook


Follow Us On X
Follow Us On X

Editorials

Lakeshia Myers
Michelle Bryant
Dr. Kweku Akyirefi Amoasi formerly known as Dr. Ramel Smith

Journalists

Karen Stokes

Topics

Health Care & Wellness
Climate Change
Upcoming Events
Obituaries
Milwaukee NAACP

Politicians

David Crowley
Cavalier Johnson
Marcelia Nicholson
Governor Tony Evers
President Joe Biden
Vice President Kamala Harris
Former President Barack Obama
Gwen Moore
Milele A. Coggs
Spencer Coggs

Classifieds

Job Openings
Bid Requests
Req Proposals
Req Quotations
Apts For Rent

Contact Us

Milwaukee Courier
2003 W. Capitol Dr.
Milwaukee, WI 53206
Ph: 414.449.4860
Fax: 414.906.5383

Copyright © 2025 · Courier Communications | View Privacy Policy | Site built and maintained by Farrell Marketing Technology LLC
We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.