Category: Chicago Landmarks

Chicago Landmarks in watercolors and pen & inks by artist and architectural illustrator, Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, with JPEG & PDF scan and prints of Chicago landmarks #045Q.

Pen & ink drawing of the lions on the front steps of Art Institute of Chicago.
Pen & ink drawing of the front entrance lions of Art Institute of Chicago by artist Stephen F. Condren.
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Art Institute of Chicago Watercolor #250Z

Art Institute of Chicago watercolor on Michigan Avenue.

This article is about Art Institute #191B is a landmark watercolor of the Art Institute of Chicago, which is for sale here, at discount with prints by artist Stephen F. Condren, SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, offering JPEG & PDF scans. Growing up as a child from the south side of Chicago I would spend many years at the Art Institute of Chicago. In grammar school on weekends, my father sent me to art classes there. He owned the art supply company Favor Ruhl & Watson. At that time it was the largest art supply company in Chicago.

This Beau Arts building was erected as the World’s Congress Auxiliary Building for the World’s Columbian Exhibition of 1893. This was the only structure built for the exhibition outside of Jackson Park. The structure was intentionally designed to become the main building of the Art Institute after the closing of the exhibition.

Key Elements

My focus on the watercolor is Classical entrance of the building. The central block of the building was designed to have a dome over the center. However, since there were not enough funds available the dome was never completed.

The Chicago Club

Chicago Club interior after it's collapse in 1927.
Chicago Club Interior After Collapse

Most fortunately for the lives of local Chicagoan and the History of Art, the Art Institute moved. On June 17, 1928 the entire interior of the Chicago Club collapsed!

Imagine the Art Institute filled with people during this catastrophe. The loss of lives would be staggering and the loss of many world famous works of art would be forever lost!

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Our Lady Of Mt. Carmel Church Pen & Ink #244Z

Mt Carmel #143A Catholic Church pencil landmark drawing with view of the spires.

This article is about a pencil drawing of Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church #143B on Belmont Street in Chicago, which is for sale at discount with prints by artist Stephen F. Condren, SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, offering JPEG & PDF scans. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church is landmark church located on Belmont Street in the Lakeview community of Chicago. This church is precious to me in that it is the church that my parents were married in.

AGLO Chicago

I sat on my stool and drew this picture live before Sunday evening service for AGLO Chicago, where I serve as an acolyte. Because the weather was still warm enough to draw outside, I took advantage of the time. I drew this wonderful building where my mother went to school, and my parents got married in.

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Loeb Mansion From Leopold-Loeb Trial #123Z

Loeb mansion of Leopold Loeb in Chicago History Museum.

This article is about Loeb mansion blueprints #123Z, by artist Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, offering JPEG & PDF scans. Front Façade blueprint of the Loeb Mansion in Kenwood, Chicago. In 1924 the Crime of the Century was committed by two brilliant students of the University of Chicago, Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold. Not only were they brilliant, they were from amongst the wealthiest families in the Chicago. They lived in the ultra exclusive neighborhood over Kenwood, just north of Hyde Park in Chicago. This was and still is the mansion district of Hyde Park Township. Prints & Scans Of This Drawing #123Z ~ Order Here.

Photograph of Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold.
Photograph of Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold.

This famous rendering is now in the permanent collections of the Chicago History Museum.

Collection ID for Loeb Mansion at Chicago History Museum.
Collection ID for Loeb Mansion at Chicago History Museum.

Albert & Anna Loeb

The mansion located at 5017 S. Ellis Avenue, Kenwood, Chicago, was commissioned by Albert and Anna Loeb in 1910. Though the mansion was raised in the summer of 1972, the brick wall and gate posts still remain. Note, the pedestrian post, which was to the left of the remaining post on the right side is missing. What you see in the photo below are the two posts on the left for the car, and the right post of the two pedestrian posts on the right.

Loeb Mansion fence and posts at 5017 S, Ellis Avenue, Kenwood, Chicago.
The original Loeb Mansion fence and posts at 5017 S, Ellis Avenue, Kenwood, Chicago.

Photo of the mansion in 1924

Photograph of the Albert Loeb mansion at 5017 S. Ellis Avenue, Kenwood, Chicago.
Photograph of the Albert Loeb mansion at 5017 S. Ellis Avenue, Kenwood, Chicago.

Image

I drew there two architectural renderings when I was 20 years old and an Architecture Student in Mr. Jorgenson’s Perspective Drawing Class. The text book was “Geometry for Architects”. For the final project the class had two choices that they could. 1, A single watercolor rendering in the size of 18″ x 24″. 2, two black & white perspective renderings in the same size. I chose the later. As you can see from the image the rendering is done on vellum thus there is no “give” to the paper and therefore “What you see is what you get.”

Architecture

The address of the home was 5017 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 60615. The style of architecture of the home is Tudor. The mansion sits on at least 6 city blocks, but I am not sure of this. The property size is similar to that of the Julius Rosenwald mansion just one block to the north on the same side of the street but at the corner of Ellis and 48th streets. The house was designed so that the front faced north and the vast garden side faced the south.

Interior

The entire eastern wing was the Living Room and right above was the Master Suite that took up the same enormous area. As you entered the front door you came into a long narrow marble hall and at the end of the hall there were a few steps up that had a door that open into the entry. The entry was adequate in size but lot large by any means and just to the left was the staircase the had a landing leading up to the second floor. There was an organ built into the base of the staircase. As you turned to your left you entered a vast space which was the Solarium that looked out onto the gardens to the south.

Today these two famous renderings hang in the collection of the Chicago History Museum. Collection ID: 2005.0118.1-.3.

Delineation

The line work for this drawing is very light because of the use of fine line mechanical pencils. At this time lead holders or mechanical pencils were the work horse of the drafting industry. There was no AutoCAD or printers.

Celebrity Art Link

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House Portraits For Realtor Closing Gifts #157Z

Stephen F. Condren ~ Artist

312-303-0207

School of the Art Institute of Chicago ~ BFA

Prints of the Loeb Mansion ~ Façade View

Loeb mansion from the Leopold-Loeb murder case.
Pencil architectural rendering of the Loeb mansion of the Leopold and Loeb murder case of 1924 in Chicago by artist Stephen F. Condren.

Prints of the Loeb Mansion ~ Garden View

Loeb mansion from the Leopold-Loeb murder case.
Architectural rendering in pencil of the garden view facing south of the Loeb mansion by artist Stephen F. Condren.
Front entrance blueprint of Loeb mansion from Leopold & Loeb murder trial in Chicago.
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Loeb mansion from the Leopold-Loeb murder in Chicago #086Z

Loeb mansion #5000A landmark drawing from the Leopold-Loeb murder trial of 1924 in Chicago.

This article is about the Loeb mansion #086Z from the Leopold-Loeb murder in Chicago, which is for sale at discount with prints by artist Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, offering JPEG & PDF scans. These architectural renderings are now hanging in the permanent collection of the Chicago History Museum. The Loeb mansion was the residence of Richard Albert Loeb, located at 5017 S. Ellis Avenue in Chicago, Illinois 60615. 

Architectural rendering of the Loeb Mansion from the murder trial of Leopold and Loeb by artist Stephen F. Condren.
Front View ~ Architectural rendering of the Loeb Mansion from the murder trial of Leopold and Loeb of 1924 in Chicago by artist Stephen F. Condren.

Architectural rendering in pencil of the Loeb mansion in Chicago from the murder trial by artist Stephen F. Condren.
Garden View ~ Architectural rendering in pencil of the Loeb mansion in Chicago from the murder trial by artist Stephen F. Condren.

Points of the skyline drawing are as follows:

  • Tudor Architecture

  • Delineation

  1. Tudor Architecture: The style of architecture for the mansion was Tudor. The façade of the home faced north and had a spacious circle drive around the front entry with a large elm tree planted in the center of the circle. The entry had a detailed canopy and lead into a long narrow marble hall which opened to a modest sized entry at the end. Once inside the entry you would turn right to the living room or turn left to the hall with lead to a closet to the immediate left and staircase with landing just past it. The banisters were of wood and a small organ built into the wall at the base of the stairs. When you walked past the staircase you came into a vast space which lead into the solarium which opened up to the gardens and south lawns. There was a tennis court and adjacent the garage on the east side of the property. There was a ballroom on the third floor.
  2. Delineation: The rending was down in two parts. The first parting showing the north façade and entry. The second part was of the garden façade and solarium on the south side of the property.

Discount Prices

Free shipping within 48 hours and always on sale at low discount prices ever so cheap by artist Stephen F. Condren.

Stephen F. Condren ~ Artist

312-303-0207

School of the Art Institute of Chicago ~ BFA

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Chicago Navy Pier Pen & Ink Drawing #046Z

Chicago Navy Pier pen & ink drawing with Chicago skyline.

This article is about Chicago Navy Pier #046Z Pen & Ink Drawing and John Hancock Center, which is for sale at discount with prints by artist Stephen F. Condren, BFA-SAIC, of Condren Galleries, a Fine Arts Gallery, offering JPEG & PDF scans. This is my pen & ink drawing of Chicago Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago Navy Pier Pen & Ink Drawing #941. Key elements to this drawing are as follows:

  • Chicago skyline.
  • Pen & Ink.
  • Horizon.
  1. Chicago skyline: The backdrop of this scene is the cluster of skyscrapers that are at the core of Streeterville, on Chicago’s near north side. At the center of the cluster is none other than the famous John Hancock Center. The skyline makes for a wonderful support to the balance of the Drawing which centers on the Centennial Wheel and then move to the right and stops on the sail boats that are casually sailing on Lake Michigan.
  2. Pen & Ink: I have chosen to draw this scene in pen & ink. Pen & ink work very well with this kind of scene. The sail boats on the right balance out the composition and all the images are gently resting in the hands of the John Hancock Center. The line strokes are ever to carefully places so as not to give that “hatching” effect, but rather I wanted all of the line work in the drawing to be structural. Note the delineation on the John Hancock Center and it’s neighbor, Water Tower Place. All of the ink lines in these buildings have nothing to do with shade or shadow but rather with contour and structure. Because of this, the lines that form the other elements of the drawing all fall into place.
  3. Horizon: The vantage point for this drawing is square on the horizon line. It looks as though we are a bit below the horizon line but we are not. We are close to the water’s edge and above the decks of the sail boats. The horizon line has to be low for this kind of drawing to fit in all of the tall elements, even the tips of the boat sails go up beyond the half way point!

Stephen F. Condren ~ Artist

312-303-0207

School of the Art Institute of Chicago ~ BFA