New Deal/WPA Art in Missouri
Post Office New Deal Artwork
Most of the Post Office works of art were funded through commissions under the Treasury Department's Section of Painting and Sculpture (later known as The Section of Fine Arts) and not the WPA.
"Often mistaken for WPA art, post office murals were actually executed by artists working for the Section of Fine Arts. Commonly known as "the Section," it was established in 1934 and administered by the Procurement Division of the Treasury Department. Headed by Edward Bruce, a former lawyer, businessman, and artist, the Section's main function was to select art of high quality to decorate public buildings if the funding was available. By providing decoration in public buildings, the art was made accessible to all people." from "Articles from EnRoute : Off The Wall: New Deal Post Office Murals" by Patricia Raynor
Unless indicated, works of art are located in the US Post Office building.
|
Location |
Artist |
Title |
Date |
Medium |
|
|
Joseph P. Vorst |
"Time Out" |
1942 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Jessie Hull Mayer |
"Winter Landscape" |
1940 |
mural |
|
Cassville |
Edward Winter |
"Flora & Fauna of the Region" |
1941 |
porcelain enamel murals |
|
|
Joe Jones |
"Harvest" |
1939 |
oil on canvas |
|
Clinton |
H. Louis Freund |
"Wheat Farming & Chicken |
1936 |
mural |
|
|
Richard Haines |
"Coon Hunt" |
1942 |
oil on canvas |
|
Columbia |
Edward Buk Ulreich |
"Pony Express" & "Stage Coach" |
1937 |
oil on canvas (removed) |
|
Dexter |
Joe Jones |
"Husking Corn" |
1941 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Frederick Shane |
"Picnic, Lake of the Ozarks" |
1941 |
mural |
|
|
James B. Turnbull |
"The Lead Belt" |
1939 |
oil on canvas |
|
Higginsville |
Jac T. Bowen |
"Industrial Activity of the City" |
1942 |
tempera |
|
|
James B. Turnbull |
"Loading Cattle" |
1940 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Thomas Hart Benton |
History of Missouri |
1936 |
egg tempera |
|
La Plata |
Emma Lou Davis |
"Missouri Livestock" |
1939 |
wood relief |
|
Lee's Summit |
Ted Gilien |
"Pastoral" |
1940 |
oil on canvas (moved to Mayor's office) |
|
Maplewood |
Carl C. Mose |
"Family Group" |
1942 |
wood relief |
|
|
Joseph Meert |
"Contemporary Life in Missouri" |
1938 |
tempera |
|
Monett |
James McCreery |
"Products of Missouri" |
1939 |
oil on canvas |
|
Mount Vernon |
Joseph Meert |
"Spring Pastoral" |
1940 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
James Penney |
"Memories of Marion County" |
1942 |
oil on canvas |
|
Paris |
Fred G. Carpenter |
"The Clemens Family Arrives in Monroe County" |
1940 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Tom Lea |
|
1939 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Martyl Schweig |
"La Gui-Annee" |
1942 |
oil on canvas |
|
Saint Joseph |
Gustaf Dalstrom |
"History of the Region - 12 panels" |
1941 |
mural |
|
Saint Louis |
Edward Millman |
cycle on history of region |
1942 |
mural |
|
Saint Louis |
Mitchell Siporin |
cycle on history of region |
1942 |
fresco |
|
Saint Louis, Clayton Branch |
Dan Rhodes |
"The Wheelwright" |
1942 |
mural (moved to Des Moines, IA) |
|
Saint Louis, University City Branch |
Trew Hocker |
"The Louisiana Purchase Exposition" |
1940 |
fresco |
|
Saint Louis, Wellston Public School |
Lumen Martin Winter |
"Old Levee and Market at St. Louis" |
1939 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
Lawrence Adams |
"Saturday Afternoon on Main Street" |
1942 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
James Penney |
"Aspects of Rural Missouri" |
1941 |
fresco |
|
Vandalia |
Joseph P. Vorst |
"Corn Harvest" |
1939 |
oil on canvas |
|
|
H. Louis Freund |
"Agriculture & Varied Industries" |
1938 |
mural |
All mural images depicted
on this site are used with permission
of the United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.
Reference Source:
Democratic Vistas: Post Offices and Public Art in the New Deal
by Marlene Park & Gerald E. Markowitz)
View the Jefferson City Capitol murals done by Thomas Hart Benton!
St. Louis, MO - WPA
Sculptures
"Courage, Vision, Sacrifice, Loyalty" (1939) by Walker Hancock
(born: St. Louis, Missouri; 1901), Medium: Limestone, Dimensions: 13' H,
7' W, 5' D (approx. each), Location: Memorial Plaza (Market and 13th Street)
"Law and Order" (west), "Equal Justice" (east) (1935) by Benjamin Hawkins (born: St. Louis, Missouri; 1896), Medium: Indiana limestone, Dimensions: 18' H, 7'7" W, Location: Customs House (Tucker and Market)
© 2006 Nancy Lorance
All Rights Reserved.