During the Great Depression, the Public Works Art Project (PWAP), part of the US Federal Goverment New Deal program, led to the creation of a wonderful set of
murals in Coit Tower. Bernard Zakheim oversaw the project that included over two dozen artits and muralists. The murals depict aspects of California and San Francisco life during the 1930s and were very controversial at the time, with the inspiration of Diego Rivera is plainly visible in many of them.
Zakheim, himself, painted 'Library'
'Library' (detail) by Bernard Zakheim
'Library' (detail) by Bernard Zakheim
'City Life' by Victor Mikhail Arnautoff is one of the more detailled murals showing many aspects of San Francisco life and city landmarks.
'City Life' (detail) by Victor Mikhail Armautoff
'City Life' (detail) by Victor Mikhail Armautoff
'City Life' (detail) by Victor Mikhail Armautoff
'California Agriculture' by Maxine Albro sits alongside Arnautoff's city view.
partial view of 'California Architecture' by Maxine Albro
Clifford Wight painted four large figures of a cowboy, farmer, steelworker and surveyor, titled, 'Leaders of California Life'.
view of the cowboy from 'Leaders of California Life' by Clifford Wight
partial view of the farmer from 'Leaders of California Life' by Clifford Wight
farmer hand detail from 'Leaders of California Life' by Clifford Wight
Commerce is represented with this mural showing a selection of shops. This image also showshow many of the muralists incorporated the features of the tower into their works. In case, like the 'Library' previously incorporates the tower's narrow windows.
Industry is represented by Ralph Stackpole's 'Industries of California' and John Langley Howard's 'California Industrial Scenes'.
'Industries of California' (detail) by Ralph Stackpole
'California Industrial Scenes' (detail) by John Langley Howard
'California Industrial Scenes' (detail) by John Langley Howard
Our tour, by
San Francisco City Guides included the murals on the second floor and in the stairwell that are not otherwise accessible by the general public.
The stairwell features Lucien Labaudt's 'Powell St' showing the scene around the cable car that all visitors to San Francisco will be familiar with.
partial view of 'Powell St' by Lucien Labaudt
At the top of the stairs, Edward Terada depicts 'Sports' and 'Children at Play'.
'Sports' (detail) by Edward Terada
'Sports' (detail) by Edward Terada
partial view of 'Children at Play' by Edward Terada
A small room on the second floor presents Coit Tower's perhaps most enigmatic murals. 'Home Life' by Jane Berlandina offers a starkly different style to the other murals representing domestic life in the 30's.
'Home Life' (detail) by Jane Berlandina
'Home Life' (detail) by Jane Berlandina
References:
Coit Tower & PWAP Murals on Telegraph Hill in San FranciscoCoit Tower and the History of Its MuralsSan Francisco’s Coit Tower MuralsThe Murals Tour - Coit Tower
Great post. I lived in SF about 30 years ago and had forgot how much I enjoyed the murals. Nice to see them again.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bob, glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteThese murals are amazing - the variety and the detail and what they project about those difficult times. Interesting that public art was given such prominence in those days. I love the children at play as well as the man in the armchair
ReplyDeleteThanks Janet. F D Roosvelt used his 1930s 'stimulus package' to create these sorts projects all over the US.
ReplyDeleteI worked many years with Edward Terada's daughter Kunimi Terada, who is now an accomplished painter herself.
ReplyDelete