As it progressed into the 1920s, the Beaux-Arts Classical tradition tended to become abstract; often, as in the case of this bank building, the classical ornamentation simply seemed to glide over the surfaces of the building. Emphasis was placed on the fluted pilasters as the principal decorative device. Externally and internally the materials used were meant to convey a low-key opulence. In this Dubuque bank the exterior is sheathed in cream-colored terracotta set on a base of light-gray Minnesota granite. Inside, the walls are covered with a smooth surface of Italian marble.