Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts--page 2 (of two pages)

Frank Furness and George W. Hewitt
1876



The building is two stories with the galleries, lit by skylights, on the second floor, and (originally) the studios for art students and educational facilities on the ground floor. This division reflects the two purposes of the Academy: educational institution and museum. Today the lower floor functions as an adjunct to the museum with cafe, museum shop, offices.

Lavish interior

Floral patterns on the wall above are emphatic on the deep red background. Below the patterned wall is stone wall carved in a floral design. Gallery walls on the upper floor are also intense hues.
 
The bronze balusters have an ornate design and the pointed arches, supported on squatty polished granite columns, have a Moorish look. The blue coved ceiling has silver stars.
 

Entrance foyer with low-ceiling

This lobby area is rather modest, especially in contrast to the scene above up the stairs. The floor, however, is inlaid with ceramic tiles in an elaborate design--visible in the left-hand photograph. The lower level also has bronze lamps, like those on the landing above; they have five globes, an elaborate base, and are set on faceted marble blocks.


Return to page 1: exterior views.



Works Consulted:
Foundation for Architecture. Philadelphia Architecture: A Guide to the City. Second Edition. Foundation for Architecture, 1994.
Stuart Klavans. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts [official guide].


See other examples of Furness's works in artists' index on this site.


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Click here to see the home page of Bluffton University.


© 2008 Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.