So what if the line went round and round, forming a complete circle at the base of the tower. There was so much to see during the hour we waited to reach the lift that, for once, I didn’t feel the pain. For the entire ground floor is adorned with floor to ceiling murals painted in 1934 by a group of artists employed by the Public Works of Art Project, a precursor to the Works Progress Administration (WPA).
They depict life in California during the Depression, with emphasis on the theme of industry and commerce and distinctive touches of leftist political ideas, clearly evident; like on Bernard Zakheim’s “Library” which depicts fellow artist John Langley Howard reaching for a copy of Karl Marx’s ”Das Kapital” (spelled here ”Das Capital”). Touches one is familiar with in Europe, but rather unusual in the States. Perhaps it is true, after all, San Francisco may well be a very European city.
The Tower & details the Murals
Industries of California
Ralph Stackpole
Industries of California
Ralph Stackpole
Newsgathering
Suzanne Scheuer
Library
Bernard B. Zakheim
City Life
Victor Arnautoff
City Life
Victor Arnautoff
Scientist-Inventor
Mallette Harold Dean
City Life
Victor Arnautoff
City Life
Victor Arnautoff
Banking and Law
George Harris
California
Maxine Albro
The (360°) views
You can buy tickets on-line in advance and skip the lines. But where is the fun in that?
July 5th, 2017
The Humble Fabulist 
Great post
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Good capture on the art. Really interesting.
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It was a pleasant surprise and a great distraction during the looooong wait!
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