The idea of having a Rotunda mural to commemorate the
settlement of the South Plains by the pioneers was
incorporated into the architectural plans of The Museum when
the base of the building was constructed in 1936. In 1953,
when the two upper floors containing the sixteen-sided
entrance Rotunda were completed, plans for the commemorative
mural got under wav. The Board of Trustees of the West Texas
Museum Association appointed two committees to facilitate the
mural: a Mural Committee to determine the nature and size of
the painting and to select an artist, and the Selection
Committee to decide which individuals should be chosen to
represent each of sixteen categories of pioneers. The Mural
Committee decided that the painting should be a continuous
one, completely encircling the Rotunda; that it should begin
four feet above the floor and extend to the mezzanine floor
above; and that this tile wall, twelve and three-quarters feet
high and one hundred and eight feet in circumference, should
be decorated with a true fresco painting. The Committee
determined the criterion by which the artist would be
selected: (1) he should have a national reputation; (2) he
should have understanding and enthusiasm for historical
accuracy; (3) he should be versed in, and sympathetic toward,
portrayal of the Southwest; (4) he should have a knowledge of
the true fresco technique. Peter Hurd of San Patricio, New
Mexico, was chosen without a mural competition.
The Selection Committee adopted the following criteria: (1)
the person must fully merit the category for which he was
considered; (2) necessary sponsors should be found to care for
the cost of the panel involved. The Committee was aware that
scores of pioneers could qualify for the first requirement,
but for whom sponsors could not be found. Many of those
selected for a category could have qualified for several
categories; such as the Town Builder, who was also a Cowboy, a
Cattleman and a Banker.
Research
for historical material to be used in the mural lasted for two
years. Biographical data on the Honorees and hundreds of old
photographs were assembled and studied by Peter Hurd and the
Director and his wife. Then, with the material in mind, the
artist made a rough charcoal sketch on detail paper, scaled to
a height of eighteen inches and a length of fourteen feet.
Here, the continuous horizon line with the masses and shapes
began to take form. Next, a replica of the Rotunda, five feet
in diameter, was made to scale. On this, the artist executed a
detailed color study of the design worked out in the first
sketch. Then each person selected to appear in mural, or a
model chosen by the family if the subject were not living or
able to pose, went to the artist's studio at San Patricio,
where Mr. Hurd made a charcoal portrait of the person. A full
size cartoon of each panel was then made in the studio. Into
these large charcoal drawings, the figures, landscape details
and sky were incorporated. This preparatory work required many
months and was completed before Mr. Hurd came to Lubbock to
begin the actual painting on the walls.
Mr. Hurd,
with his assistants, Manuel Acosta and John Meigs, and his
portrait-painting wife, Henriette Wyeth, painted the first six
panels in February and March of 1953. He returned ill November
of that year and by the end of December had finished six more
panels. In October, 1954, he finished the last four panels,
completing the largest painting project and the seventh mural
in his career.
On November
18, 1954, the mural was dedicated with an impressive ceremony
featuring Paul Horgan, Pulitzer Prize winning novelist and
intimate friend of the Hurds. Concurrent with the dedication
was the opening of an exhibition "Peter Hurd Paints a
Mural" in the Art Gallery at The Museum and the showing
of a color film "Peter Hurd Paints a Fresco." A gala
reception honoring Mr. and Mrs. Hurd and associates climaxed
the dedication.
Selection
Committee:
James H.
Milam, James G. Alien, Sam G. Dunn, Spencer Wells and H. L.
Alien.
Mural
Committee:
W. C.
O'Mara, Dr. Elizabeth Skidmore Sasser, Mrs. Bess Hubbard, Mrs.
O. V. Adams and Culver Hill.