Saguaro Forms and Cactus Flowers

In 1927, Frank Lloyd Wright designed a series of 12 monthly covers for Liberty Magazine based on seasonal themes. Unfortunately, the publishers judged them as too radical for the time. The magazine returned Wright’s presentation drawings, which became the basis for later interpretations executed in diverse media. Each cover design exemplifies Wright’s practice of using a T-square, triangle, and compass to create lively geometric designs.

In this design, Wright celebrated “The noble, ancient Sahuaro blossoms at the very top of its digitfied columns.” Wright used it on the cover of an anthology of lectures he gave at Princeton in 1930 entitled “Modern Architecture.” In 1973, the Arizona Biltmore Resort experienced a devastating fire. During reconstruction, the design was adapted by Taliesin Architects for an art glass window installed in the entrance to the resort where it can still be seen today.