As Robert C. Meade, Jr., Esq., writes in Art in Troubled Times,
The murals of the New York County Courthouse, of which there are 38, have, since their creation during the Great Depression, been widely recognized as treasures, among the outstanding works of such art in the great metropolis of New York, the country’s principal center of artistic life and work.
What follows below are photographs of the murals, highlighting both their artistry and their need for preservation as the courthouse reaches its centennial year in 2027.
Murals on the Lower Floors
Murals in the Vestibule
Murals in the Main Corridor
Murals in the Rotunda
Murals in the Other Corridors
Murals on the Upper Floors
Murals in the Ceremonial Courtroom (Room 300)
Murals in the Jury Assembly Room (Room 452)
Murals in the Jury Assembly Room (Room 448)
Murals in the Seventh Floor Conference Room
Threats to the Murals
The murals at the New York County Courthouse are over 90 years old or close to that. They have suffered the inevitable wear and tear from the passage of time, but have also been subjected to accidents and other difficulties that have damaged and imperil them, including water seepage on the first and second floors, which is very bad for frescoes. In the interest of encouraging early evaluation of the condition of all of the murals and the effectuation of the conservation found to be necessary, the following sets forth images of some of the conditions affecting the murals today. Left to themselves, these conditions will certainly not improve.
