- City:
- Tallahassee, FL
- Site Type:
- Art Works, Murals
- New Deal Agencies:
- Treasury Section of Fine Arts (TSFA), Arts Programs
- Completed:
- 1939
- Artist:
- Edward Buk Ulreich
Description
The historic federal building (now U.S. Bankruptcy Courthouse) in Tallahassee, Florida houses an example of New Deal artwork: an eight-panel mural titled “History of Florida.”
Wikipedia: “The murals were funded by the Treasury Department’s Section of Painting and Sculpture, a Depression-era program … Hungarian-born American Edward “Buk” Ulreich (1889-1966) won a competition to paint the murals, which he completed in 1939.”
GSA description of the eight panels:
1) Five Standards on Parade shows the flags that have flown over Florida: Spanish, French, English, Confederate, and American.
2) Aborigine depicts the customs and life of Florida’s native inhabitants at the time of early exploration.
3) Spain’s influence is illustrated by Juan Ponce de Leon on his search for gold and the fabled Fountain of Youth on the Island of Bimini. In 1513, he mistakenly lands and christens Pescua Florida, the place of the flowers.
4) French authority is depicted in the greeting of Suturibo and Ludonniere in 1564. Here, the French Huguenots are brought to the stone market indicating the site of the city of St. Augustine.
5) Sir Francis Drake stands upon his flagship in 1586 and watches as the besieged Spanish town of St. Augustine burns, inaugurating English dominion.
6) General Andrew Jackson, the first American military Governor of the Territory of Florida, was instrumental in defeating the English during the war of 1812 and bringing order to Florida.
7) Osceola shows the self-made chief of the Seminoles appearing before General Hernandez and the U.S. Army to seek peace between his people and the settlers.
8) Florida Today depicts the winter playground of sunbathers and sport enthusiasts enjoying the outdoor life offered by the state.
Source notes
https://www.wpamurals.org/florida.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Courthouse_(Tallahassee)
GSA panel, on-site
Site originally submitted by Evan Kalish on December 23, 2017.
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