Standard Club, Chicago, Illinois, Mantel Details 1888

This graphite drawing on paper shows various mantel details for the Standard Club in Chicago and was designed by Adler & Sullivan, Architects. The Standard Club, established in 1869, stands as one of the oldest Jewish clubs in the United States. It reflects the complex interplay of identity, assimilation, and exclusion that characterized the Jewish experience in America. Architecture became a means through which cultural identity and social status were negotiated. These mantel designs, with their classical motifs, symbolize an aspiration to integrate into mainstream American society. The attention to detail suggests a desire to create spaces that reflected the cultural refinement and social standing of its members. The club served as a haven and a symbol of belonging, reinforcing community bonds, at a time when Jewish people were frequently excluded from other social institutions.