Wall-to-Wall America: Post-Office Murals in the Great Depression

by Karal Ann Marling, Marling, Karl Marling, Karl

A revealing cultural history of this American art form.In her intriguing and heavily illustrated look at post office murals of the 1930s, Karal Ann Marling examines these unique government-sponsored works of art not only as paintings but as part of American cultural history. Depicting scenes from the farm, the frontier, and the factories, these murals were commissioned by the Treasury Department during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Placed in the building where everyone in town had reason to stop, the thousand-odd paintings discussed here were truly intended to hold appeal for everyone. This spirited and often irreverent discussion offers a close look at the murals and what they represented to small-town America during the Great Depression.

366 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1982

About the author

Karal Ann Marling is professor of art history and American studies at the University of Minnesota. She is the author of numerous books on topics including American mural painting of the Depression era, illustration of the 1940s, the architecture of theme parks, and the influence of television on visual culture in the 1950s.

Reviews

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very scholarly book. Very well documented from historical, artistic, and cultural points of view. Recommend for art history majors at graduate level

[Sherry (sethurner) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume will tell you just about anything you want to know about the history of the Works Project Administration's Depression era series of murals that were installed across the USA in government buildings like post offices and courthouses. What interested me was the way politics and local taste led to all sorts of upheaval over the murals painted in communities. Public art apparently is almost always a source on controversy. Is the subject of the mural accurate? Interesting? Is it too modern, perhaps? Too racy? Too depressing? The author goes into great detail, to the point that I ended up skimming much of the text. The illustrations are interesting, though all are in black and white. Each chapter has an extensive bibliography.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and "easy" read. Ultimately it is a good introduction to further research on WPA post office murals. The challenges the auther faces are clear - the large number of examples mean that few are give much justice and access to color reproductions is not always possible. For anyone looking for more information Marling provides great advice and excellent documentation to continue exploring beyond her book.