The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens announced today the acquisition of 13 important pieces of furniture designed by seminal American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959).  The highlight of the group is a nine-piece dining room suite designed in 1899 for the Husser House (which since has been destroyed) in Chicago, a commission that marked a crucial turning point in Wright’s career. With that project, Wright began to conceive of interior space that was more open and flowing than in his earlier commissions, breaking down the notions of architecture that had prevailed until that point.

The Huntington also acquired four chairs from four other signature Wright houses in Illinois: the Avery Coonley House, the Arthur Heurtley House, the Little House (which also has been demolished), and the Ward W. Willits House. All 13 pieces of furniture have been on view in the Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art at The Huntington since 2009, on long-term loan from the Joyce and Erving Wolf family.

“It’s difficult to measure the significance of this acquisition,” said Kevin Salatino, Hannah and Russel Kully Director of the Art Collections at The Huntington. “Wright’s work is indispensible to understanding the history of modern architecture and design in this country. And since many of his important early projects, like the Husser House, have been demolished, the need to make their design components available to the public has become pressing. Consequently, we’re thrilled to have been able to add these works to the permanent collection at The Huntington.”