Roman Brick by auntietk
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Description
More Chicago architecture from the Near North Side.
I don't know what Mark and Marilyn talked about during the times when I fell back, taking loads of photographs while they walked blithely on ahead, but I remember several times when Mark and I discussed architecture in general and certain details in particular.
He mentioned that Frank Lloyd Wright was fond of Roman brick "Those are the thin ones," he said, and Wright used them in his Prairie Style homes.
You know how sometimes someone says something and you don't get it? Mark kept talking about that thin Roman brick, pointing out different examples to me. I must have looked quite blank, because every building we saw with Roman brick, he would look at me rather quizzically and say, "There's another one with that thin brick."
Finally I said, "Mark, how do you know how thick the bricks are just by looking at the front of the building?"
He looked at me.
I looked at him.
Nobody said anything.
All of a sudden it dawned on me what he'd been saying!
Here I am thinking he's telling me the bricks are really thin, like a veneer. He's actually telling me they're not very tall. They're long and thin, as opposed to being short and squat. This has nothing to do with their depth.
Isn't it astonishing? We both speak English as our first language, and still ... the meaning of that one little word was totally lost.
I hope you will pay particular attention to the brick on this building, especially the bit above the first floor where the bricks are really thin. That's Roman brick, and it was a favorite of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Comments (34)
Faemike55
Absolutely fascinating information! A house that I lived in had stone cut like Roman Brick. Thank you for that wonderful bit of information and BTW Great shot
myrrhluz
When my sister and I went to Chicago, we went to Oak Park a suburb of west Chicago. Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio, Unity Temple and many private homes he designed are there. I took pictures of the outside of some of the homes. Seems to me they did have thin bricks, certainly some of them were very stripey looking. Unity Temple is beautiful, though it has massive repairs needed and has been put on the The National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Wonderful narrative! More times than I'd like to admit to, someone will be telling me something and I'm on a totally different wavelength. Once I catch on it seems so obvious, but until then I am clueless. Excellent image and information!
danapommet
WOW!!! This is a masterpiece. The balconies on the second floor, the crest on the third floor and the details along the roof line. And let me not forget – what are they called – oh yes, the thin Roman bricks. :>) Very well seen and captured. Dana
MrsLubner
This is wonderful. You found a perfect example, comparison and all, of this style of brickwork. You found a great angle that highlights everything and puts it all in not-so-plain view.
mbz2662
Wow~ a really gorgeous piece of architecture! Great shot too :)
cv1
Gorgeous capture!
bmac62
The photo is wonderful, the explanation is priceless:) I can see it and hear it. What diversity in architectural styles in your Chicago series. Keep them coming. I'll bet you'd like to photograph the inside too.
Meisiekind
Oh this is marvelous Tara! And I know all about misunderstanding simple words!!! Wonderful work and it was great catching up last night! :)
koosievantutte
very good shot - love to see the diversity in the city.
helanker
LOL ! And this danish freak got it at once. Well I dont think very abstract, so that might be the reason I, for once, got it. I love this story, because I can se both of you before me. Now YOU should see my grining face reading it :-D Wonderful building, BTW and so well captured :-)
Katraz
It must have been a very laborious job laying all those bricks but the effect is geat.
bazza
Lovely shot of this beautiful building, love the brick work.. very well done this is great...
lizzibell
Great capture...
wysiwig
Very labor intensive and expensive but the thin brick makes for a much more attractive building I think. A striking building well captured.
durleybeachbum
Marvellous narrative! I was there with you, once again. This is a very attractive building, and it looks so incredibly chunky and solid. It would be interesting to know who had it built!
Elcet
Very nice building. Coming back to my remark on one of your previous image, I would advice you in such case to underexpose the subject, then adjust the levels into Photoshop; this would limit the burning of highlights. Here you could have underexposed by at least one full stop and perhaps one and half.
Chipka
I don't say this much, but I'll say it now...that's one sexy mass of bricks! When I get rich off of the proceeds from my first real novel, I'll have to commission a reproduction of this house to serve as a love nest for me and a particular Russian...because I can already say that neither of us will pick Chicago as our home city. Of course, that's one heck of a love nest with a bit more room than expected! I love this house/building and I have to ask myself why I've never seen it before, since I know exactly where you much have been wandering! You really do have an eye for this stuff, and I love the sense of color and the whole MOOD of this piece. As for Roman brick...well...yeah! That stuff's everywhere here...and its a particular treat be in a place built with Roman brick, while enjoying candle light in a room with a Russian with with Roamin' hands. Okay, just pretend I didn't just say that. I do love this image, and I can see you and Mark exploring all of the wonderful possibilities of blank expressions. That's priceless!!!!
UOja
Very good shot!
Hubba1
Very cool :)
casmindo
Lots and lots of different sy=tyles to be found in Chicago. Way cool
awjay
superb capture my friend
MrsRatbag
What a beautiful house! Love that style!
emmecielle
Splendid capture! :)
Dreamingbee
an wonderful architecture and really great shot .. wow ..!
tofi
A stunning structure! I really like the POV here, wherein the delightfully elongated trees seem to be beautifully contrasting the building! An excellent touch, indeed! Lovely lighting, that brings out a superb mood and atmosphere!
npauling
Beautiful architecture on this lovely house and I can see what you mean about the bricks being thin.
goodoleboy
Stellar POV, ambiance and clarity in this shot of the lovely and venerable edifice! And, merely a matter of semantics vis-a-vis your conversation with Mark on the relative magnitude of thin bricks.
orig_buggy
that would have been lost on me too ...lol...very cool looking building!!
babuci
Wonderful capture as a tall trees kind of give a gentle privacy for this building. I realy love the different kind of bricks here.
beachzz
We were talking about thin bricks, of course!!