Frescoes by the Bay: Art, Artists and their stories

Discover San Francisco’s historic buon fresco murals, meaning "true" fresco. This technique in craftsmanship is what distinguishes these vibrant works and is how Americans explored their own cultural identity. These unique works were produced by acclaimed artists and muralist from Diego Rivera to Maxine Albro to Victor Arnautoff, who painted them in the 1930′s under President Roosevelt's New Deal.

Frescoes by the Bay narrates the contents of each mural, intertwining it with the art and life of the men and women who painted it. Theses stunning works of art document life through the eyes of the painters from the French and Indian war to the troubled times during the Great Depression in America.  The story reveals California's ever-abiding natural beauty, San Francisco's visionary leaders, amusing social conventions, innocent aspirations and timeless fears.  By journey's end, the murals' vivid themes forge a sense of connection spanning contemporary to old times.