Although the San Francisco Maritime Museum is closed for renovation, it will open the evening of Wednesday, February 18 for a private SFMHS tour of the historic murals dominating the interior.
A product of the Works Project Administration, the expressionist murals by Hilaire Hiler are augmented by the incised slate and mosaic murals of his friend, Sargent Johnson. Hiler, a native of St. Paul, studied at various American art schools and also attended the University of Paris. He moved to San Francisco in 1934.
Hiler created his expressionist vision of Atlantis for the museum after viewing the building, saying, “Its curved ends enclose two perfectly circular rooms, the form of which influenced my ideas as to how it might be adequately decorated.”
He admitted to having the good fortune of being in on the ground floor of the building’s construction. He described himself as having a finger in every pot as he helped design floors, wainscotings, electric fixtures, tile mosaics and color harmonies.
“A mural painting should primarily be a decoration functioning as form and color, architecturally connected with the room in which it stands as part of the building which it shelters. Thus, the painting must form a unified and continuously flowing series of arabesques.” For Hiler, that was happily simplified by the nature of the building.
The tour will also highlight Johnson’s contributions to the museum. He came to San Francisco in time for the Panama Pacific International Exposition and was influenced by the expo, the city and its artists. While working, he attended the A.W. Best School of Art and the California School of Fine Arts, where he studied under both Beniamino Bufano and Ralph Stackpole, taking top honors in school competitions.
As part of the WPA, Johnson created the incised relief at the exterior entrance to the museum, which depicts men of the sea and marine life. Other mosaics of marine life are on the promenade deck facing San Francisco Bay.
John Cunnane, Park Ranger for San Francisco Maritime National Park, and Curator Richard Everett will lead the tour on all three levels of the museum. The 6:00 p.m. tour will be followed by a wine and cheese reception. The tour is limited and advance tickets at $15 per person are required.
Public transportation is recommended. Muni Line #47 stops directly in front of the museum while Muni Lines #30 and #47 stop at Hyde and North Point, just two blocks away. The museum is also served by the Powell-Hyde Street Cable Car.