Architectural Studies

Arnold William Brunner's paired sketches explore ornamental and structural design. The left study depicts a capital with acanthus leaves and scrollwork—classical vocabulary refined through the Beaux-Arts tradition. The right rendering shows a palm-form capital with supporting column, demonstrating the architect's investigation of both historical precedent and botanical inspiration. These working drawings reveal the nineteenth-century designer's practice: careful observation, multiple compositional approaches, and the fusion of engineering with decorative arts that defined institutional and commercial architecture of the era.