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very rare all original signed and dated framed c. 1889 albumen photographic print depicting adler & sullivan's auditorium building during construction of the tower
  • very rare all original signed and dated framed c. 1889 albumen photographic print depicting adler & sullivan's auditorium building during construction of the tower
  • very rare all original signed and dated framed c. 1889 albumen photographic print depicting adler & sullivan's auditorium building during construction of the tower
  • very rare all original signed and dated framed c. 1889 albumen photographic print depicting adler & sullivan's auditorium building during construction of the tower
  • very rare all original signed and dated framed c. 1889 albumen photographic print depicting adler & sullivan's auditorium building during construction of the tower
  • very rare all original signed and dated framed c. 1889 albumen photographic print depicting adler & sullivan's auditorium building during construction of the tower
very rare all original signed and dated framed c. 1889 albumen photographic print depicting adler & sullivan's auditorium building during construction of the tower

very rare all original signed and dated framed c. 1889 albumen photographic print depicting adler & sullivan's auditorium building during construction of the tower

SKU: UR-19993-14
exceptionally rare all original and unrestored framed photographic albumen print featuring dankmar adler and louis h. sullivan's extant auditorium building under construction in early 1889. several photographic prints were taken of the building during the early phases of construction and completion, but the image shown here shows the building where the notable 18-story tower with a massive derrick hovering above is still under construction. the foreground contains several horse-drawn carts loaded with brick and other building materials. the sepia-toned print is signed on the obverse (the exact date) and on the reverse with the photographer's studio stamp. the medium-sized albumen print was photographed by alexander hesler, who was considered one of the most prominent and respected photographers in the midwest during his career of nearly fifty years. in 1847 he journeyed to buffalo (new york) to learn the craft of daguerreotypy - which was the first publicly announced photographic process and the first to come into widespread use. beginning in 1848 hesler operated a succession of photographic studios and galleries in madison, wisconsin; galena, illinois; chicago and evanston. possessing broad technical abilities, he was able to exploit new photographic media as they appeared over the course of the nineteenth century. when the daguerreotype faded from popularity he mastered the wet and, later, dry plate photographic processes. in addition, he was quick to recognize the popular appeal of the stereoscope and produced for sale stereoscopic views as well as other paper-based prints, the bulk of which were portraits and landscapes. hesler was active in national and regional photographic societies and was recognized for his work at several important fairs and expositions including the 1853 world’s exposition, the chicago mechanics institute of the same year and the 1876 centennial exhibition held at philadelphia. hesler’s best known works include several portraits of abraham lincoln and a series of chicago views taken in 1858 from the top of the city’s courthouse. his daguerreotype of minnehaha falls reportedly inspired longfellow to write the poem, "hiawatha." hesler spent the major portion of his career in chicago and for five years after the 1871 chicago fire operated a studio in his home in evanston. he later returned to chicago in 1880. hesler died in evanston on july 5, 1895. the photograph is framed in clear glass with a period (possibly original) oak wood frame.

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