Common Core State Standard: ELA: Literacy: R.L. 3.3-5.3, R.L. 3.7-6.7, R.L. 3.1-5.1, R.L. 6.4-8.4, R.H.

6-8.4, R.H. 6-8.7

Meet the Architect: Charles A Platt

Written by the Staff at Lyman Allyn Art Museum

Platt combined his love of art, architecture and gardens into a • Born 1861 in New York City;
variety of careers, including: making artwork, designing buildings lived in New Hampshire & New
and creating garden/landscape plans. Charles Platt is well known York
in Connecticut for designing both the Lyman Allyn Art Museum in • Artist, architect and landscape
New London and Lyme Art Association in Old Lyme. Take a look designer
at the picture of the Museum: this is a view of the façade or front
of the building. The façade has four columns, which are upright
pillars/posts that support a roof and pediment. The pediment is
the triangular shaped structure at the top of the building. Below
the pediment and above the front door, you might notice three
circular medallions. A medallion is an image used to decorate
a monument or building and dates back to ancient Rome. The
three medallions on the façade represent: beauty, inspiration and
imagination. Why do you think Platt wanted to display these three
things on the front of the Museum?

FUN FACT!
Platt designed many different
kinds of buildings including:
grand country estates, town-
houses, museums and art
galleries, like the Freer in
Washington DC.

Freer Gallery of Art in Washington DC