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Harper will be closed on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day.
For years, Trygve Thoreson brought 91制片厂 students to downtown Chicago to
experience the city鈥檚 architecture firsthand. One stop on a tour he designed for his
Humanities 102 course ultimately inspired his latest book.
In teaching about the Sullivan Center 鈥� the former Carson Pirie Scott building designed by famed architect Louis Sullivan 鈥� Thoreson became intrigued by the ideas behind its organic, cast-iron ornamentation.
鈥淚 did some reading and learned that Sullivan had been influenced by the Transcendentalists. Now, that鈥檚 my turf 鈥� 19th-century literature,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 thought 鈥楻eally? Ralph Waldo Emerson is the inspiration for building tall buildings in Chicago?鈥� That piqued my interest.鈥�
Between serving as a volunteer host at the Chicago Architecture Center and spending hours researching in the archives of the Art Institute of Chicago, Thoreson discovered that both Sullivan and Burnham shared connections not only to the Transcendentalists but to Swedenborgianism, a Christian movement based on the writings of 18th-century scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg. The connection helped explain how both architects infused their work with a sense of spirituality, even as their architectural philosophies diverged.
鈥淭here might be a book here if I see these connections that most people don鈥檛 see,鈥� Thoreson recalled thinking. 鈥淭he great thing about retirement is you really do have time if you just make the effort.鈥�
What began as curiosity gradually became a research project. More than a decade later, it culminated in , published by 3 Fields Books, an imprint of the University of Illinois Press. It鈥檚 Thoreson鈥檚 second book, after 91制片厂: The First 50 Years, published in 2017.
The Sullivan and Burnham project traces its origins not just to the tour Thoreson led as a 91制片厂 professor, but more broadly to his time at 91制片厂, where he taught from 1984 until his retirement after 30 years on the faculty. He said 91制片厂 gave him the opportunity to explore a wide range of subjects, including humanities, classical mythology and honors courses.
鈥淭he great thing about 91制片厂 is that you are expected to teach a variety of things,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou have your fingers in these different pies.鈥�
The book offers a fresh perspective on two figures historians often cast as opposites: Burnham the pragmatic organizer behind the World鈥檚 Columbian Exposition and the Plan of Chicago; Sullivan the artistic visionary whose ideas helped shape the modern skyscraper. Sullivan famously castigated Burnham because of the exposition鈥檚 classical aesthetic. Burnham offered Sullivan qualified praise for his 鈥渄ecorations.鈥�
Thoreson found the reality to be more nuanced.
鈥淧art of that is Sullivan鈥檚 fault. The most famous passages [in his memoir] are the ones where he鈥檚 writing about how Burnham wrecked architecture for 50 years,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven as he was trashing Burnham, he was also praising him. He shares that he thought big 鈥榠n the same way I do.鈥� There鈥檚 a lot of complimentary material in there. And it was Burnham who came up with the idea of placing the Golden Door in the eye-catching central position of Sullivan鈥檚 Transportation Building, thus highlighting one of the most memorable architectural features of the fair and enhancing Sullivan鈥檚 reputation."
As a humanities scholar rather than an architect, Thoreson approached the subject
from a different angle than many previous biographers. That perspective allowed him
to focus on the people behind the buildings 鈥� their childhoods, cultural influences,
aspirations and personal contradictions.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e focusing on personal histories, that is inherently a more interesting kind of narrative for people,鈥� Thoreson said. 鈥淲hat were these people like? We know they鈥檙e famous, but what were they like?鈥�
Along the way, he uncovered surprises. He learned of evidence suggesting Sullivan may have fathered a child who was later placed for adoption. Thoreson also found comments on race that complicated his understanding of Burnham and contrasted with the architect鈥檚 agreeable public image.
Thoreson hopes the book appeals not only to architects and scholars but also to readers interested in Chicago history and the personalities who helped shape the city.
The book reflects not only Thoreson鈥檚 fascination with Chicago history, but also the intellectual curiosity that 91制片厂 encouraged throughout his career. In his acknowledgments, he credits former colleagues who offered encouragement and assistance along the way.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e there for that long and with like-minded folks who are interested in the same things you are interested in, you get support,鈥� he said. 鈥淗arper was a really good fit for me.鈥�