Steedman Treasure: The Wainwright Tomb drawings

In 1892 St. Louis businessman Ellis Wainwright commissioned Louis Sullivan to design a family mausoleum in historic Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.  The groundbreaking architectural masterpiece Wainwright Building was nearing completion in downtown St. Louis when Wainwright's young wife died suddenly.  The tomb's design, a domed cube simply decorated with Sullivan's signature vegetal patterns, was a marked departure from those of its elaborate revivalist neighbors.

The Steedman Collection owns the 18 original tracings for the tomb. They are executed primarily in black ink, with red ink details and graphite notations.  They vary in size, but average about 22 by 27 inches. Each bears the initials G. G. E., indicating that they were drawn by George Grant Elmslie.  Elmslie was Sullivan's chief draftsman at the time and went on to have a stellar career of his own. 

The entire set was generously donated in 1977 by its previous owner, St. Louis architect Albert C. Maack.

All can be seen within the Steedman's online exhibit:   http://exhibits.slpl.org/steedman/index.asp.  Just enter the word "Wainwright" in the Search Box.