Carved stairway screen

Edgar Miller
1928
Carved and varnished pine

This staircase is a particularly interesting example of how Miller's three-dimensional work could be both a unique sculptural object, and a functional architectural or interior design element. Many carvings draw the viewer into their individualistic detail, while still creating a cohesive unity across multiple levels of the house, all the way up to the last level. Believed to be carved out of ponderosa pine, the screen is not structural but serves a very important purpose, making an almost closed space out of the stairwell and maintaining fluidity throughout the open air rooms. Miller's choice of figures includes several horses with a Native American rider atop one at the far left. Some have interpreted the staircase as a representation of the life of a young pony, growing up into a fully grown steed.