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Posted on 12/09/25 08:51:31 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7065 Reply  |
Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
Another exhibit at the V&A Storehouse is the Kauffman Office, a complete room constructed in 1937 by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Pittsburgh retail magnate Edgar J Kauffman. Of course, the room isn't complete without Edgar and some of his business associates in residence. Can you supply them? High res is here.  |
Posted on 12/09/25 10:17:34 AM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5848 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
I've seen photographs of this wonderful interior many times. I had no idea it was in the V & A. I had always supposed it still existed somewhere. Which, in a sense, I suppose it does ............... _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 12/09/25 9:51:37 PM |
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lwc
Hole in One Posts: 3366 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
Not so sure about Edgar and his buddies, but Mr. Wright stopped by to revisit his work. 
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Posted on 13/09/25 10:23:22 AM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 3149 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
Found on the net: "Why was Frank Lloyd Wright controversial?" Wright was as bad as Wagner when it comes to breaking up families. In the 1930s, the architect left his wife and children and ran off to Europe with Mamah Cheney, who was the wife of one of his principal clients. Wright was notorious, at least in his younger years, for having the sexual morality of an alley cat. Frank Lloyd Wright built a house called Taliesin as a refuge for his mistress Mamah Borthwick. But in 1914, one of his servants butchered her with an axe and burned the Wisconsin home down. HISTORY reports that Wright’s handyman and servant, Julian Carlton, suddenly took a hatchet to the back of Mamah Borthwick’s head as she ate her soup, then killed her children as well. He then poured gasoline beneath the door of the dining room, lit it on fire, and butchered the other workers as they tried to escape. |
Posted on 13/09/25 5:11:40 PM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5848 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
Kaufmann and Lloyd together. Lloyd was eighteen years his senior so I hope this is about right. The desk lamp is a Lloyd design. Frankly not happy with this at all, but quite a lot work gone into it so posting anyway.  _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 14/09/25 06:55:02 AM |
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tooquilos
Wizard of Oz Posts: 2914 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
I feel much the same with mine, David. Not thrilled with it but it's busy next week for me and I wanted to get an entry in. That's very interesting, Mariner. Poor Mamah, what a horrible death. You wonder if Mrs Wright or Mr Cheney hired Julian Carlton as a hitman? 
http://vimeo.com/1118450599  _________________ Dorothy: Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore |
Posted on 14/09/25 09:18:38 AM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 3149 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
It's certainly possible Anna. Reading further it seems that Carlton was a black immigrant who was insulted by the white members of the household, including the staff. He lost it completely and killed everyone in sight. |
Posted on 14/09/25 11:35:46 AM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5848 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
What a bizarre idea Anna. But beautifully done Especially so quickly. _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 14/09/25 2:30:22 PM |
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Frank
Eager Beaver Posts: 1786 Reply  |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
David - nice, skin tones look off To my eye Anna- nice, innovative A difficult one to find Kaufmann images: 
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Posted on 14/09/25 4:05:10 PM |
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lwc
Hole in One Posts: 3366 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
Nice one Anna...! 
Frank - You certainly found a good image, very well done! The telephone is a great touch. |
Posted on 15/09/25 09:11:23 AM |
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DavidMac
Director of Photoshop Posts: 5848 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
Very fair comment. I found colourising the faces, especially Kaufmann, very difficult as there are a lot of dark shadow areas in the BW originals which don't colorise well. It looks dirty and muddy. I agree with you about images. Not very many and often low res. Plus the inevitable problem of them mostly being posed portraits looking straight at the camera. You did well there! _________________ The subtlety and conviction of any Photoshop effect is invariably inversely proportional to the number of knobs on it ....... |
Posted on 15/09/25 12:59:04 PM |
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lwc
Hole in One Posts: 3366 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
Deleted |
Posted on 15/09/25 1:04:20 PM |
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lwc
Hole in One Posts: 3366 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
In his later years, Edgar still visits the office and perhaps catch up on a few good jokes. 
I couldn't decide on which version to post, so this is live view, early color photo, and b&w photo. Would likely have been monochrome in the real world. |
Posted on 17/09/25 01:21:06 AM |
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lwc
Hole in One Posts: 3366 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office Party
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Posted on 17/09/25 05:10:20 AM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 3149 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
David, very good entry. You have desaturated the wood, added effective lighting and brought the black and white photographs to life. Well done. |
Posted on 17/09/25 1:56:43 PM |
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Frank
Eager Beaver Posts: 1786 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
Loyd, a fun entry,  |
Posted on 18/09/25 01:28:48 AM |
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lwc
Hole in One Posts: 3366 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
Thank you Frank, it was fun to make. |
Posted on 18/09/25 09:47:24 AM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 3149 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
From left to right: Edgar J. Kaufmann, his wife Lillian Sarah Kaufmann, Frank Lloyd Wright, his girlfriend Mamah Borthwick. 
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Posted on 19/09/25 08:14:22 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7065 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
First to visit the office this week was lwc, neatly inserting FLW behind the desk. I like the addition of Fallingwater on the wall, one of his most spectacular achievements. There’s a distinctly 1950s feel to the later years entry – is it just the braces/suspenders? I like how the woman is leaning on the desk. And the office party is really funny, with plenty of animation to keep the mood going. I like how DavidMac has placed Kaufmann and FLW together, the added desk lamp adding a lot of atmosphere. The lighting works well on FLW, but isn’t Kaufmann lit from the wrong side? Unusual for you, David. The ghost of Kaufmann at his desk in tooquilos's entry, with a distinctly high tech world map in front of him. I like the added globe and neon strips. A cute trick in the animated version with an ashtray lever that turns the office into a Bond baddie’s lair – brilliant! And expertly brought to life. Really enjoyed this. I like how Frank has placed Kaufmann and the women behind the armchair, which really locates them well in the scene. The added portraits match the decor well, and I like how you’ve warmed up the wood tones. The added desk clutter, including the telephone, add to the atmosphere. Good work. A great architectural meeting from Mariner, with the assembled cast examining a design that FLW would surely loathe. (I was worried at one point that, after your history lesson, you might include Julian Carlton in the scene.) Very nicely done, especially the way you’ve turned the wall into a window. |
Posted on 19/09/25 08:23:45 AM |
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Mariner
Renaissance Mariner Posts: 3149 Reply |
Re: Challenge 1071: The Kauffman Office
Thanks Steve. I need some pactice turning B&W images into colour. |
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