Post Office Mural – Springville NY

Description

The historic post office in Springville, New York houses a (12’4″ x 4’2″) Section of Fine Arts oil-on-canvas mural entitled “Fiddler’s Green,” which was painted by Victoria Hutson Huntley and completed in 1938.

From the Springfield Journal (June 30, 1938):

“Mrs. Huntley visited the Springville Post Office in late December and while here gathered the material which she has used as subject matter for the mural which is entitled ‘Fiddlers’ Green.’

“Through reading histories of the town and talking with older inhabitants, she learned that in those good old days square dances were supposed to have been danced on the ‘Green.’

“Mrs. Huntley has painted the Grande Marche Right and Left and shows two sets, a group of fiddlers, a caller, and watching townspeople. The costumes are those associated with pioneer days – the men in buckskin – the women in home spun. Since the Grande Marche occurs in almost every square dance, it is suitable as subject matter and provides graceful rhythms for the artist’s use.

“‘Fiddlers’ Green’ will be installed in the Springville Post Office during the summer, the exact date to be announced later.

“Mrs. Huntley teaches painting and drawing two days each week in the Birch-Wathen School in New York City. She has a daughter twelve years old.

“The section of Painting and Sculpture which sponsors these Treasury Department Art Projects is entirely separate from the Works Progress Administration. This Section of Painting and Sculpture offers competitions for the decoration of public buildings to the artists of the country. Artists entering such competitions though not winning the competition, may receive an appointment from the Section if the work they submit in the competition is in the opinion of the staff of the Section worthy of such an appointment.

“Although Mrs. Huntley did not win in a competition she received the appointment of the Springville Post Office” (Western New York Heritage Press).