-Skyscraper- bookcase c. 1926

This Skyscraper bookcase was made by Paul T. Frankl, and its stepped, geometric forms remind me of city skylines. I wonder, was he thinking of New York’s towering buildings when he made it? It’s got this cool, streamlined look, but then you notice the bold red interiors, and that changes everything. I can imagine Frankl carefully layering the lacquer, choosing that high-contrast palette. The surface is super smooth, and those sharp edges give the bookcase this dynamic, angular energy. It almost feels alive, like it could transform itself at any moment. I bet Frankl looked at Cubism, and maybe some of the German Expressionists when he was coming up with this. All of these artists were bouncing ideas off each other, trying out new ways of seeing. And that’s what making art is all about, isn't it? We’re constantly building on what came before, figuring out what we want to add to the conversation.