Editing Furness Style (section)

== Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ==

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1871-76), designed with partner George Hewitt, stands as Furness's masterpiece and one of the most remarkable American buildings of the nineteenth century. The facade presents a symphonic composition of forms and materials: a central entrance bay flanked by asymmetrical wings, faced in polychrome patterns of brick, stone, and terra cotta. The entrance itself, with its oversized columns, heavy arch, and dense ornament, creates a portal of extraordinary visual intensity. Gothic, classical, and industrial motifs combine in ways that seem to generate energy from their very incongruity.<ref name="thomas"/>

The interior develops themes introduced on the exterior: elaborate ironwork stairs, richly decorated galleries, and skylighted exhibition spaces that provide ideal conditions for viewing art. The main stair hall, with its polychrome walls, elaborate railing, and filtered daylight, creates an experience of ascent as artistic preparation. The galleries, though altered over time, retain their essential character as spaces where architectural presence enhances rather than competes with displayed artwork. The building's 1976 restoration and subsequent care have preserved Furness's achievement for continued appreciation.<ref name="lewis"/>