It surrounds room 102, office of the superintendent, and these days it lies behind a display of flat-rate mail services, the income from which the U.S. Postal Service surely needs.
The colors are muted, the affect sad.
The mural was painted in 1938 by William C. Palmer. Learn more about the artist here >>
Palmer created it for the Arlington post office in a project — get ready, Tea Party members — financed by the federal government. Under the supervision of the Section of Painting and Sculpture, the government pursued such policies as enabling public art to help the nation emerge from the Great Depression.
Could we do it again? Well ….
As I wait in line, I return to pondering the mural itself.
One reading: It’s a perhaps naive allegory about how America came to be, as European settlers gained land from its original owners.
The purchase of the soil is portrayed on the right. In his right hand extended to a native American, a soldier in Conquistador-like armor displays two coins, The native’s hand reaches toward the coins, while his other aims toward workers portrayed on the left.
There, three show the soil’s use. A woman plants. A man holding a rake wears a wide-brimmed hat that does not look to be from the Puritan era.
Between these two scenes of uncertain time period is a split-rail fence of a kind seen in New England perhaps as far back as the 18th century. In the mural’s middle distance, it’s clear Western-style civilization has been established — in the background is a church steeple, and nearer, a house and barn.
The soil that the coins long ago purchased has given rise to a new culture. Of course, in historical reality, for the most part, Westerners merely took the soil.
Who knew a stop to mail letters could be such an education?
The wider questions are: Where else could we have such murals — or other kinds of public art — and what might that art be?
The work in town is underway to find out. Learn more here >>
I will be taking other such walks around town to review Arlington’s public art. Your reviews are welcome. Find out how here >>
