August Reuling, a drafter for McKim, Mead & White, created the meticulous drawing that would guide the builders and artisans who would model, paint, and gild the extensive ornamental detail in the East Room ceiling. The three octagonal shapes represent the three laylights (large, flat pieces of semitransparent leaded glass) that would illuminate the room.
August Reuling (1884–1966) for McKim, Mead & White
Plan of Ceiling, East Room, Library for J. P. Morgan Esq., 19 May 1904
Ink on linen
New-York Historical Society, McKim, Mead & White Architectural Collection