The New York State Building, Banquet Hall Mural

By the latter part of the 19th Century, Frank Millet was also being recognized as one of the country’s leading muralists.  Painting murals for the Baltimore Customs House, the Cleveland  Postmasters office, and banks all over the country.

As the Director of Exhibits & Decorations for the 1893 Columbian Exposition, second only to Daniel Burnham, Millet is credited with the “Great White City” theme, Directing the decoration of numerous buildings, the New York State Building and its large banquet hall, required a large mural for the ceiling.  Millet designed and with assistants painted the mural himself.  Just like the old masters, he would have assistants block in his design and then he would finish the key parts of Heads, and faces, hands and other details.

The following photo shows the banquet hall mural in progress.