Aaron Douglas Murals Conservation
With the support of the Marlene and Spencer Hays Foundation, we are continuing the conservation of the Aaron Douglas Murals.
Paintings conservator Michael Ruzga, of Fine Arts Conservation, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio has been contracted to carry out conservation treatments on the historic Aaron Douglas murals in Erastus Milo Cravath Hall at Fisk University. The last time these murals were conserved was in 2002-03 by Cunningham-Adams, of Washington, D.C.
Aaron Douglas, an esteemed painter of the Harlem Renaissance, was commissioned to paint the murals in 1930 for the then newly built library. The murals depict the progress of African Americans, telling the story of their capture into slavery and harrowing journey from central Africa to present day America. Douglas stated that the three main areas of progress were religion, emancipation, and education.
Footage by James Dennis, Office of Marketing and Communications, Fisk University.
Murals Retouched, Second Floor Boardroom of Cravath Hall
An Act of Dedication
Aaron Douglas believed in the value of education and charted a path that many others would follow after him. This year we are celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Fisk University Department of Art, which he started in 1944. We continue to protect and honor his legacy with the conservation of these masterful narratives.
Cravath Rotunda
Pictured Above:
Mike Ruzga, in front of the poetry mural panel, Cravath Hall
Philosophy, Rotunda, second floor Cravath Hall
