The Legacy of Wallace Neff

Feb. 9, 2008 - May 12, 2008
Virginia Steele Scott Gallery - Drawing Cabinet

The domestic architecture of Wallace Neff (1895-1982), particularly that inspired by Spanish-Mediterranean styles, is respected, emulated, and highly sought after by Southern California home buyers.

In 1989 architect Robert A. M. Stern summarized Neff’s artistic gifts and durability:

“He was a talented pragmatist graced with a sure sense of composition and a refined sense of detail. He understood what needed to be done for both the good of his clients and the public realm, and he pursued these twin objectives with taste, finesse, and invention.”

Neff’s remarkable architectural achievement, commitment to his clients, and contributions to the built environment of Southern California are extensively documented in the collections of the Huntington Library. In 2007, Wallace Neff, Jr. presented his father’s papers to The Huntington, which included sketches, notebooks, photographs, and architectural drawings. This small exhibition celebrated this gift and displayed a sampling of other significant material related to Neff’s work in the Library. These few drawings and photographs demonstrated Neff’s skills as an artist and the execution of a gifted architect.