Great Depression-Era WPA Mural, Des Moines — Carol M. Highsmith, 2016

Carol M. Highsmith photographed this Great Depression-era mural in 2016 inside the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates in Des Moines, Iowa, formerly the Des Moines Public Library. The composition centers on a standing figure reading a large sheet, accompanied by a reclining figure and open book. Angular passages of green, blue and yellow surround them, while brickwork, a tree and small symbolic forms give the scene a layered, geometric character.

The photograph also preserves the mural’s architectural setting. At right, the painted scene turns into an adjoining wall with an ornate fireplace, clock and black-and-white floor pattern. The Library of Congress notes that the building’s murals were created between 1937 and 1941 by artists employed through the Works Progress Administration. Depicting the history of Des Moines through the mid-1930s, the mural project was supervised by Iowa artist Grant Wood.

Artwork Details

• Artist: Mural artist not individually identified by the Library of Congress; mural project supervised by Grant Wood
• Photographer: Carol M. Highsmith
• Title: Great Depression-Era WPA Mural, Des Moines
• Original title: One of several Great Depression-era murals mounted in the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates Building, once the Des Moines, Iowa, Public Library
• Series: Carol M. Highsmith Archive
• Date: Photograph: August 13, 2016; murals: 1937–1941
• Period: Great Depression / WPA Era
• Place of Origin: Des Moines, Iowa, United States
• Medium: Digital color photograph of a WPA-era mural

Framed Print Details

• Fine art printing: Professional 12-color fine art printing technology produces vivid, accurate colors with strong tonal depth and significantly greater nuance than standard 4-color inkjet printing.
• Paper: Smooth premium matte paper with a clean, glare-free finish.
• Paper weight: 200 gsm (80 lb).
• Paper thickness: 0.26 mm (10.3 mils).
• Frame material: Durable pine wood.
• Frame dimensions: Approximately 20 mm (0.79 in) deep and 10–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) wide.
• Protection: Shatterproof plexiglass protects the print while keeping the framed artwork lightweight.
• Ready to hang: A hanging kit is included, allowing the framed print to be mounted directly on the wall.
• Available sizes: Offered in a range of sizes to suit different spaces.
• Materials: Printed using FSC-certified paper and wood where available.
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