The Penthouse, History

The Penthouse's distinct East Asian decorative influences make the model truly captivating, as you will see in many newspapers covering the exhibit during the mid-20th century: 

Even our own beloved Kirby Hall makes mention:

In a 1955 Life Magazine collected by Mrs. Fisher for her scrapbooks (1 & 2), they explain some of the early markers that saw the development of a style that would become Chinoiserie. Chinoiserie style was a 17th century European decorative style which gained popularity during the 19th and 20th centuries. The design aspects of this style were often a romanticized interpretation of Asian culture, art, and architecture—namly of China, but also Japan and Southeast Asia. 

Below are some examples of the design. 

The movement in the U.S. never achieved an accurate or true representation however, only ever representing a Western fantasy of what Eastern culture was through the imports they were captivated by: such as porcelain or silk. 

And yet, it would follow in the footsteps of the Victorian inspiration for the parlor, coming to be recognized as a symbol of cosmopolitanism and luxury.