Charles Allis Art Museum

Charles and Sarah Allis decided to build their family home in 1909 and contracted with the renowned local Milwaukee architect Alexander Eschweiler on a plan for a lot on the corner of Prospect Avenue at Royall Place. As collectors of art from around the world, the Allises wanted to build a house that would later become a museum to "delight, inspire, and educate" the people of Milwaukee.

The home was completed in 1911. Visitors entered through a front vestibule and were greeted in the marble hall. Today, this receiving room is home to the Allis's collection of ancient art objects including ceramics from Asia and the Middle East.

This ceramic bowl from Iran dates from the 6th century B.C. It is one of several ancient objects the Allises collected during their travels abroad.

The Vase of a Thousand Faces is covered in hundreds of tiny portraits - an engaging vessel to explore with a magnifying glass.

To the west of the marble hall is the dining room. The Allises could accommodate up to fourteen dinner guests here. The room is trimmed with Honduran mahogany, pressed leather, and sliver-plated light fixtures by Caldwell and Company.

This Chinese screen, made of teak wood, is decorated with wood carving and cloisonné, a process of adhering enamel to metal, usually copper. Each floral panel represents a different month of the year.

This detail shows a panel representing the month of April.

To the east of the marble hall lies the French Parlor, so named for the French Barbizon paintings that hang here. The 1898 Steinway piano was enjoyed by Sarah Allis who played often. The room is trimmed with Circassian walnut, silk damask, and a carved marble fireplace.

One of Sarah Allis's personal collections consisted of bronze animals sculpted by the French artist Antoine-Louis Barye.

This detail of "A Glimpse in the Forest of Fontainebleau" by Narcisse Virgilio Díaz de la Peña is an example of the pastoral subject matter preferred by the Barbizon school of painters.

Charles and Sarah's library contains their volumes of art books and encyclopedias as well as works from their collections of Hudson River School paintings, Asian ceramics, and Japanese Netsuke.

This detail of "Moonlight on New York Bay" by Edward Moran shows his mastery of lighting contrasts, which contribute to a dramatic and enigmatic mood.

This detail shows a sampling of the many Japanese Netsuke sculptures in the collection of Sarah and Charles Allis.