BGuthrie Photos: DC -- Dept of Interior Building -- Murals

DC -- Dept of Interior Building -- Murals:

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Description of Pictures: Including some Indian artwork as well.

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Copyrights: All pictures were taken by amateur photographer Bruce Guthrie (me!) who retains copyright on them. Free for non-commercial use with attribution. See the [Creative Commons] definition of what this means. "Photos (c) Bruce Guthrie" is fine for attribution. (Commercial use folks including AI scrapers can of course contact me.) Feel free to use in publications and pages with attribution but you don't have permission to sell the photos themselves. A free copy of any printed publication using any photographs is requested. Descriptive text, if any, is from a mixture of sources, quite frequently from signs at the location or from official web sites; copyrights, if any, are retained by their original owners.

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. DOIMUR_090919_020.JPG: Dept of Interior murals (lots of other ones on this page too)
2. DOIMUR_090919_065.JPG: Dept of Interior murals (lots of other ones on this page too)
3. DOIMUR_090919_108.JPG: Two murals by John Steuart Curry: These murals, oil on canvas, in the North corridor, fifth floor, were executed by John Steuart Curry of Madison, Wisconsin. Mr. Curry received his commission from the Section of Fine Arts. In the painting called "The Land Rush", the race is on full tilt. Riders dash forward, the drivers stand as they urge on their galloping horses. The panel opposite is different in mood and subject. A mother and daughter are peeling potatoes for the evening meal before the doorway of a sod hut. Hens and chickens and the family cat add a farm touch. We see the corner of the ploughed plot and a bit of the kitchen garden -- the peace and plenty of the land after the thrilling rush to claim it. John Steuart Curry was born in Dunavant, Kansas, November 14, 1897. Before moving to Connecticut, where he worked for several years, he studied at the School of the Chicago Art Institute. He was a member of the faculty of the University of Wisconsin at his death August 29, 1946. His work is included in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and other important public institutions. Under the program of the Section of Fine Arts, Mr. Curry has also executed two murals for the Department of Justice Building, Washington D.C.
4. DOIMUR_090919_178.JPG: Dept of Interior murals (lots of other ones on this page too)
5. DOIMUR_090919_224.JPG: Dept of Interior murals (lots of other ones on this page too)
6. DOIMUR_090919_257.JPG: "Dam Construction" by William Gropper: These mural panels (oil on canvas) were painted by William Gropper of Croton, N.Y., under the program of the Section of Fine Arts, Federal Works Agency, Public Buildings Administration, which decorates Federal buildings with murals and sculpture. The murals depict the construction of a great dam, one of those incredible engineering undertakings which are such vitally contributing factors in the immensely important work of reclamation carried on by the Department of the Interior. Before doing the work, the artist made many studies on the ground. The right hand panel shows working putting together steel frame work. In the center, we see a large half section of a conduit held by steel frame work while a crane lifts it high above the canyon. At the top of this dramatically suspended form, a man stands waving directions as the crane prepares to ease this section of the work into its destined position. This human touch adds drama to the dizzying operation. At the left, on the sides of the steep rocky slopes of the canyon, undeterred by their perilous positions, men are seen working with air drills. This able and striking design which portrays so imaginatively and lucidly the drama of what to many is one of the most impressive engineering works of modern times, awakens the observer to a conception of the measureless value of the great dam which transforms a wife territory by giving it power, light and the means of irrigation. It is characteristic of Mr. Gropper's work for this artist has always been sympathetic to the problems of labor. In this work, he makes us aware of the dignity, the courage, and the strength of labor. William Gropper was born in New York City on December 3, 1897. He studied art under George Bellows and Robert Henri. Famous for his cartoons and illustrations, as well as for his painting, he has worked for many newspapers and magazines. Mr. Gropper is the author of three books and has illustrated a dozen others. His mural paintings include important private commissions. Under the program of the Section of Fine Arts, Mr. Gropper executed the mural in the Freeport, New York, Post Office.
7. DOIMUR_090919_263.JPG: The guy, a communist, painted a hammer and sickle in the painting
8. DOIMUR_090919_287.JPG: Weirdest darn butts I'd ever seen!
9. DOIMUR_090919_334.JPG: Two Murals By David McCosh: These murals, oil on canvas, in the South end of the main corridor, third floor, were executed by David McCosh of Eugene, Oregon. Mr. McCosh received his commission from the Section of Fine Arts. Mr. McCosh has selected his material from famous places in the Western National Parks which are under supervision of the Interior Department. Scenes from Bryce Canyon and Yosemite National Park form the main panels of these two paintings and in the predella panels, at the bottom of each, we see other famous spots. Mr. McCosh was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, July 11, 1903. He studied at the Chicago Art Institute and later at the Art Students' League in New York. He had received numerous awards for painting in both water color and oil. In addition, he has worked in the medium of lithography. His work is represented in several important collections including the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Mr. McCosh has also executed a mural for the Kelso, Washington, Post Office.
10. DOIMUR_090919_378.JPG: Two Murals by Maynard Dixon: These two panels, oil on canvas, in the South end of the main corridor, fourth floor, were executed by Maynard Dixon of San Francisco, California. Mr. Dixon received his commission from the Section of Fine Arts. In these two panels: "Indian and Soldier" and "Indian and Teacher", Mr. Dixon has contrasted the old and new policies of our Government in its dealings with the Indians; the old policy was one of wars and breaking up of the great reservations, while the new policy is based on a real understanding and recognition of Indian rights. In one painting, we see two Indians, a cavalry officer of 1865-80, and a half-breed scout. As Mr. Dixon describes his figures, the Chief's gesture says: "This is our land. You shall drive no further." The figures in the other panel show the Government Agent sent to help the Indians make the most of his native resources. The Agent, with a lump of soil in his hand, is telling the young boy about new ideas of cultivation while the older Indians look on. Mr. Dixon was born in Fresno, California, January 24, 1875. Raised in the Miller and Lux empire of cattle ranches, he has a through understanding of the arid Southwest. He is self-taught, a true independent among painters of Western scenes. In 1912, ending a five-year stretch as illustrator of western stories in New York, he made his crucial decision when he wrote: "I am being paid to lie about the West, the country I know and care about. I'm going back home where I can do honest work." Since then he has made a name for himself as an authentic interpreter of the West. He has decorated many public buildings in California and Arizona and he also executed two murals for the Golden Gate International Exposition. Mr. Dixon's work for the Section of Fine Arts includes a panel for Martinez, California, Post Office.
11. DOIMUR_090919_437.JPG: Dept of Interior murals (lots of other ones on this page too)
12. DOIMUR_090919_459.JPG: Fish, Wildlife & Parks: The "Art, Collaboration & Conservation" series (May 2003 - June 2004) highlighted how art can serve as a starting point for discussions about Interior Department mission-critical activities. The four-part series featured a photography exhibit that galvanized support for saving a wild population of endangered salmon; an art display that expressed the experiences of children with disabilities; and a bird perch-building workshop that linked backyard habitats with larger preservation issues. This mural was developed in a leadership training exercise for employees led by artist/educator Laurie Marshall, June 25-26, 2003. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service employees painted this panel of mission activities as though the viewer is looking up into a grove of tall trees. The four circles emphasize the preservation of wildlife (bison, an eagle, a wolf and a dolphin in their habitats), land, and structures in the built-environment (a Spanish mission, battlefield, and a lighthouse). The interaction of people with the natural and cultural resources in the Department's care is suggested by the human profile seen at each circle's perimeter.
13. DOIMUR_090919_463.JPG: South Penthouse: Murals: The restoration of the South Penthouse, formerly the Employees' Lounge, was completed in 1998. The room today looks much like it did circa 1940. The murals, commissioned in 1939, were painted on oil on plaster by artists Woodrow Wilson Crumbo, Gerald Lloyde Nailor, Allan C. Houser, and Velino Shije Herrera. This artwork represents part of the government's effort to revitalize the art community towards the end of the Great Depression just prior to the U.S. involvement in World War II. The collection of murals is very rare and is the largest collection depicting outdoor scenes in story form describing Native American life. Wall Color: A historic paint analysis of this room revealed the original color scheme. The surface area surrounding the murals closely resembles the original color.
Wikipedia Description: Main Interior Building
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Murals:

Other murals in the building are by Maynard Dixon, Gifford Beal, and William Gropper. Among them:

* An Incident in Contemporary American Life, Mitchell Jamieson, tempera on canvas, commissioned 1940, installed 1942. This depicts Marian Anderson's 1939 concert at the Lincoln Memorial after the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to allow an integrated concert to be held at Constitution Call. Secretary Ickes offered the use of the Lincoln Memorial for her concert.
* The Negro's Contribution in the Social and Cultural Development of America, Millard Sheets, oil on canvas, commissioned 1939, installed 1948. This series of four murals depict African American influence on American in the four topics: Education, the Arts, Religion, and Science.
* Indian and Soldier, Maynard Dixon, oil on canvas, commissioned 1937, installed 1939. This represents the Bureau of Indian Affairs and "symbolizes the transition of the Indian from warrior to farmer and the immense loss of Indian culture involved." The thickening clouds and disappearing buffalo signify the end of traditional life. The empty space evokes the vastness of the West.
* Rush for the Oklahoma Land of 1894, John Steuart Curry, oil on canvas, commissioned 1937, installed 1939. This mural depicts an Oklahoma land run. It "captures the seconds after the great gunshot that launched the Oklahoma land rush. It is pure emotion in motion."
* Construction of a Dam, William Gropper, oil on canvas, commissioned 1937, installed 1939. This mural, which the Interior Museum states is the building's most reproduced, "glorifies not just public works projects, but work itself," showing the "drama, dignity, and strength of labor."
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