"A Raising in Early New Jersey" Mural- Washington N.J.

Art Survives Adversity
In 1935 during the Great Depression the Works Progress administration was created to relieve the economic burden of American citizens who were suffering, Among others, this program employed over 5000 artists during the years it was in place and created nearly a quarter of a million pieces of artwork. Although a great deal of that artwork is lost to us now, Its legacy lives on and a testament to the American governments at the time who had the foresight to keep the art alive.

The Following is a mural called "A Raising in Early New Jersey" Painted in the Washington New Jersey Post office. This Painting was completed in 1940. By a local artist named Frank D. Shapiro an internet source tells me it is Oil on Canvas

The Post office itself was built in 1939
Beyond that physical limitation I feel that the piece speaks very well for the time. The image depicts Colonial Americans Raising a Barn or a house. A building of something new for the young family set to inhabit it. Shapiro would paint something peaceful during a time when the world was on the brink of war, Just the past Year Germany invaded Poland and World War II was to begin. Though the conflict was far from the United States at the time It was only 11 years earlier that the First World war ended and soon enough, maybe Frank speculated, we would be at war again, so let me paint something of substance that will perhaps make swords back into plowshares in the minds of those who gaze upon this piece in years to come, let them remember not the war that was ravaging Europe but have them think upon a time when there was no war. And the only trouble to be had was a rainy day slowing down the work. And let my piece also be a testament to the Government program that is putting food on my table right now, let me show Americans hard at work building America as we are now rebuilding her.


Research By: David Brandes

Photographs by David Brandes

Photograph 1 Courtesy of anonymous his “Flikr” name is jimmywayne22








For other similiar art works-murals in New Jersey Go To to:http://www.wpamurals.com/newjersy.htm