The Art Deco Murals of Hildreth Meière

The first monograph published on Hildreth Meière, an artist whose name is not widely recognized but whose work is prominent and well known (St. Bartholomew's Church, Temple Emanu-El, Nebraska State Capitol, National Academy of Sciences, etc.). Directly promoting the extremely popular Art Deco movement in America including the architectural history and decoration, women artists, world's fairs, American mural painting, twentieth-century mosaics and ceramics, the Byzantine revival in America, and American liturgical art.

Large-scale color photographs (created over more than 10 years by the artist's granddaughter, Hildreth Meière Dunn) capture these exquisite works in detail An unsung heroine of Art Deco art and architecture, Hildreth Meière is the artist behind many of the most spectacular mural installations of the mid-20th century. The vibrant, dynamic roundels on the exterior of Radio City Music Hall, the shimmering glass mosaics and stained glass windows at St. Bartholomew's Church, and the exceptional decoration at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis - all are the work of Meière. Meière is particularly known for her personal interpretation of Art Deco, which incorporates Byzantine, classical Greek, and Native American influences.

Meière rose to prominence in the 1920s with two commissions from pioneering architect Bertram Goodhue: the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., and the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln. Her 100 religious, corporate, and cultural commissions are equally noteworthy. This first monograph on the artist, featuring stunning, large-scale color photographs, examines her distinctive Art Deco designs within the context of American art and architecture in the first half of the 20th century.