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Edouard Chassaing

Post offices that have artwork by the artists Edouard Chassaing

Illinois Post Office Mural Artists

By

Harry Sternberg
Harry Sternberg

The following is a list of all the artists that created murals in Illinois post offices during the New Deal. As I’ve been doing my research I felt it might be helpful for others so I decided to write-up an article with my findings.

If you ever visit the National Archives in Washington DC, then you may notice this comes in handy. Some of the records and files are organized by state. Other records are organized by the name of the artists.

I found it useful to have a listing of both. So here it is.

Illinois Post Office Mural Artist

  1. Abingdon, Illinois – Newell Hillis Arnold
  2. Berwyn, Illinois – Richard Haines
  3. Brookfield, Illinois – Edouard Chassaing
  4. Bushnell, Illinois – Reva Jackman
  5. Carlyle, Illinois – Curt Drewes
  6. Carmi, Illinois – William Davenport Griffin
  7. Carthage, Illinois – Karl Kelpe
  8. Chester, Illinois – Fay Elizabeth Davis
  9. Chicago, Former Chestnut – Frances Foy
  10. Chicago, Former Chestnut – Gustaf Dalstrom
  11. Chicago, Kedzie – Peterpaul Ott
  12. Chicago, Lakeview – Harry Sternberg
  13. Chicago, Logan Square – Hildreth Meiere
  14. Chicago, Morgan Park – John Theodore Johnson
  15. Chicago, Uptown – Henry Varnum Poor
  16. Chillicothe, Illinois – Arthur Herschel Lidov
  17. Clinton, Illinois – Aaron Bohrod
  18. Decatur, Illinois – Edward Millman
  19. Decatur, Illinois – Edgar Britton
  20. Decatur, Illinois – Mitchell Siporin
  21. Des Plaines, Illinois – James Michael Newell
  22. Downers Grove, Illinois – Elizabeth Tracy
  23. Dwight, Illinois – Carlos Lopez
  24. East Alton, Illinois – Frances Foy
  25. East Moline, Illinois – Edgar Britton
  26. Eldorado, Illinois – William Samuel Schwartz
  27. Elmhurst, Illinois – George Melville Smith
  28. Evanston, Illinois – Robert Isaiah Russin
  29. Evanston, Illinois – Armin Alfred Scheler
  30. Fairfield, Illinois – William Samuel Schwartz
  31. Flora, Illinois – William Davenport Griffin
  32. Forest Park, Illinois – Miriam McKinnie Hofmeier
  33. Galesburg, Illinois – Aaron Board
  34. Geneva, Illinois – Manuel Abraham Bromberg
  35. Gibson City, Illinois – Frances Foy
  36. Gillespie, Illinois – Gustaf Dalstrom
  37. Glen Ellyn, Illinois – Daniel Rhodes
  38. Hamilton, Illinois – Edmund D. Lewandowski
  39. Herrin, Illinois – Gustaf Dalstrom
  40. Homewood, Illinois – Maurine Montgomery Gibbs
  41. Kankakee, Illinois – Edouard Chassaing
  42. Lemont, Illinois – Charles Turzak
  43. Lewistown, Illinois – Ida Abelman
  44. Madison, Illinois – Alexander Raymond Katz
  45. Marseilles, Illinois – Avery Johnson
  46. Marshall, Illinois – Miriam McKinnie Hofmeier
  47. McLeansboro, Illinois – Dorothea Mierisch
  48. Melrose Park, Illinois – Edwin Boyd Johnson
  49. Moline, Illinois – Edward Millman
  50. Morton, Illinois – Charles Umlauf
  51. Mount Carroll, Illinois – Irene Soravia Bianucci
  52. Mount Morris, Illinois – Dale Nichols
  53. Mount Sterling, Illinois – Henry Bernstein
  54. Naperville, Illinois – Rainey Bennett
  55. Nashville, Illinois – Zoltan Sepeshy
  56. Nokomis, Illinois – Bernard J. Rosenthal
  57. Normal, Illinois – Albert Pels
  58. Oak Park, Illinois – John Theodore Johnson
  59. O’Fallon, Illinois – Merlin F. Pollock
  60. Oglesby, Illinois – Fay Elizabeth Davis
  61. Oregon, Illinois – David B. Cheskin
  62. Park Ridge, Illinois – George Melville Smith
  63. Peoria, Illinois – Freeman Schoolcraft
  64. Petersburg, Illinois – John Winters
  65. Pittsfield, Illinois – William Samuel Schwartz
  66. Plano, Illinois – Peterpaul Ott
  67. Rock Falls, Illinois – Curt Drewes
  68. Rushville, Illinois – Rainey Bennett
  69. Salem, Illinois – Walter Vladimir Rousseff
  70. Sandwich, Illinois – Marshall Maynard Fredericks
  71. Shelbyville, Illinois – Lucia May Wiley
  72. Staunton, Illinois – Ralf Christian Henricksen
  73. Tuscola, Illinois – Edwin Boyd Johnson
  74. Vandalia, Illinois – Aaron Board
  75. Virden, Illinois – James Daugherty
  76. White Hall, Illinois – Felix Oscar Schlag
  77. Wilmette, Illinois – Raymond Breinin
  78. Wood River – Roxana, Illinois – Archibald Motley Jr.
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA
New Deal Artists Biographies NARA

Sources

Kankakee Illinois Post Office

By

Kankakee IL Post Office 60901
Kankakee IL Post Office 60901

ADDRESS: 475 East Court Street, Kankakee, Illinois, 60901
ARTIST: Edouard Chassaing
TITLE: Farming
MEDIUM: Wood (carvings)
STATUS: The Kankakee post office is still an active, operating facility and the carvings can be viewed by interested members of the public. They reside in the lobby on the wall above the postmasters door.
YEAR: 1943

The Kankakee, Illinois post office is a large building. When I’m driving around photographing post offices, most often the buildings are the small square one’s you see below in related post. So naturally it was a big surprised when I arrived in Kankakee to find such a large building.

Not one, not two but three wood carvings grace the lobby in Kankakee. Although the title of the wood carving is “Farming” it encompass the three separate pieces you see below.

I found it really difficult to photograph and get good quality images. The lobby lights hang low and get in the way of shooting directly in front of the entire wall. I did my best, and took over 40 photos. How did I do? What do you think? Do you like the wood carvings? Are you more of a mural person or plaster cast artwork fan? Please comment and share below.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Kankakee Illinois Post Office 60901
Kankakee Illinois Post Office 60901
Kankakee Illinois Post Office 60901
Kankakee Illinois Post Office 60901
Kankakee Illinois Post Office 60901 Cornerstone
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Full
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Center
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Left Side
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Right Side
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Detail
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Detail
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Detail
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Detail
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Detail
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Detail
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Detail
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Detail
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Detail
Kankakee Illinois Post Office Wood Carving 60901 Full

“Used with the permission of the United States Postal Service®. All rights reserved.”

Sources

Brookfield Illinois Post Office

By

Brookfield IL Post Office 60513
Brookfield IL Post Office 60513

ADDRESS: 3731 Prairie Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513
ARTIST: Edouard Chassaing
TITLE: Means of Mail Transportation
MEDIUM: Plaster (relief)
STATUS: The Brookfield post office is still an active, operating facility, and the relief can be viewed by interested members of the public. The relief resides in the lobby on the wall above the postmaster’s door.
YEAR: 1935

My initial visit to the Brookfield Illinois Post Office was on January 24th of this year, it was a Sunday. If you are familiar with Chicago-land winters it gets cold this time of year. However, I was determined to get out of the house and be productive taking photographs. It didn’t occur to me that I should check the hours before heading out, so I didn’t, but when we arrived found the doors locked.

Crap! I said to myself, I guess I’ll have to come back. And that is exactly what I did, I return the following Saturday so that I could get inside and take pictures of the artwork.  Why do I do this? For all of you my loyal readers of course. You may than, me by leaving comments and praise below. LOL.

Thanks,

David W. Gates Jr.

Brookfield Illinois Post Office 60513
Brookfield Illinois Post Office 60513 Lobby
Brookfield Illinois Post Office 60513
Brookfield Illinois Post Office 60513
Brookfield Illinois Post Office 60513 Artwork
Brookfield Illinois Post Office Artwork Center
Brookfield Illinois Post Office Artwork Detail
Brookfield Illinois Post Office Artwork Detail
Brookfield Illinois Post Office Corner Stone
Brookfield Illinois Post Office Artwork Left Side
Brookfield Illinois Post Office Artwork Right Side
Brookfield Illinois Post Office Artwork Full
Brookfield Illinois Post Office 60513
Brookfield Illinois Post Office 60513

Updated 11/28/2020

We had brilliant blue skies recently so I headed out to Brookfield for some better images of the building. I decided to NOT head inside. My way of trying to limit my exposure to people for now. Anyway, enjoy the new exterior images of Brookfield. BTW, I prefer my photos without snow, so that was one reason for the extra trip.

“Used with the permission of the United States Postal Service®. All rights reserved.”

Sources