THE FEDERAL ART PROJECT MURAL PAINTINGS OF SAN FRANCISCO
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Authors
Pound, Beverly Anne
Issue Date
1977
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
This study concerns the Federal Art Project's most renowned creations, the mural paintings. As unique products of a temporary and expedient relief program, they were important because of the role they played in stimulating public interest in art during the 1930s. They are important today for the interest they raise in the cultural history of the United States.
The reasons for the disparity in the aesthetic quality of these murals will emerge in Section I of this paper. That section covers the four factors influencing the San Francisco muralists' work: the policies of the Federal Art Project, the precedents set by mural painting in the United States prior to the 1930s, the popularity of the Mexican muralists, and the complexity of the medium. Section II will be devoted to the examination of all of the San Francisco FAP murals, including a discussion of their individual histories and some subjective comments regarding their artistic merits.
The institutions which house the murals have made no attempt to provide the public with the basic facts surrounding their creation. It was with this in mind that this work was begun.