New York State Commission on the Restoration of the Capitol

The Commission on the Restoration of the Capitol produced this poster in conjunction with the 1997 completion of a project undertaken to restore the Governor's Reception Room in the State Capitol. The focal point of the project was the restoration of twenty-five wall and ceiling murals painted by William deLeftwich Dodge during the period from 1920 to 1925. These artworks, considered to be excellent examples of the American mural painting tradition, had fallen victim to severe flaking and fading before the Williamstown Regional Art Conservation Laboratory performed restoration and stabilization.

Dodge's depictions of Native Americans, as well as certain military references in the murals, are historically inaccurate. According to the Commission on the Restoration of the Capitol, no documentation has been discovered that would explain Dodge's intentions, leaving many questions regarding the murals unanswered.

...