William Van Alen, Fred T. Ley and the Chrysler Building Quotes

“Befitting their close working and personal relationship at the time, H. Craig Severance was William Van Alen’s best man at the wedding.30”
― George C Kingston, William Van Alen, Fred T. Ley and the Chrysler Building

“Herbert Hoover had just beaten Al Smith for the presidency by a landslide, Franklin Delano Roosevelt had won the race for governor of New York State, and Gentleman Jimmy Walker had been re-elected mayor of New York City.”
― George C Kingston, William Van Alen, Fred T. Ley and the Chrysler Building

“The 97 by 110 foot ceiling mural that Trumbull painted in the Chrysler Building is titled Energy, Result, Workmanship, and Transportation.51 A muscular figure of Atlas dominates a triangular panel above the information booth. From this figure, three bands extend following the triangular form of the main concourse. One consists of a series of abstract patterns symbolizing primitive, natural forces. Another depicts construction workers and techniques, in tribute to the men who built the Chrysler Building. The last showcases the development of modern transportation, emphasizing airplanes rather than automobiles. On the ceiling of the Lexington Avenue entrance lobby is a panel which shows the building as seen from the outside. The warm tones of the mural are harmonious with the rich colors of the stone used in the walls and floor of the space.”
― George C Kingston, William Van Alen, Fred T. Ley and the Chrysler Building