Bellevue Hospital: Ludins Mural – New York NY

Description

In the late 1930s Ryah Ludins painted the mural entitled “Recreational Grounds of New York City” for the men’s recreation room in the Psychiatric Building of Bellevue Hospital. It was one of over a dozen murals painted by artists for the building with funds provided by the Federal Art Project arm of the Works Progress Administration.

We know that one of the murals at Bellevue hospital entitled “Materials for Relaxation” by David Margolis has been restored. However, The Living New Deal needs further information to determine the current status of the other WPA murals painted for Bellevue Hospital.

Ryah Ludins first became interested in mural painting during a visit to Europe in which she decided to undertake a survey of Italian frescoes. She later deepened her study of mural painting through her work with the burgeoning muralist movement in Mexico. Shortly after returning from to the U.S. in 1935, she was hired as a muralist by the WPA/FAP.