A stunning and unusual early composition by Gustave Baumann when he was living and working in Chicago. "According to Martin Krause, Baumann's studio in 1909 was located at 410 South Michigan Avenue. The steel girder construction outside his studio window is the McCormick Building at 332 South Michigan Avenue (a block from the Art Institute of Chicago)." - Chamberlain, p. 140, cat. 13, In a Modern Rendering - The Color Woodcuts of Gustave Baumann
This image was used as a frontispiece on page 3 of the Chicago Architectural Sketch Club's 1910 publication. Baumann's ability to depict depth and atmosphere in a small format is made starkly visible with the girders and figures nearly silhouetted against a soft blue sky. The men appear to walk amongst the clouds as they construct this landmark highrise.