TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Kansas Museum of History has added a piece of Kansas art history to its collection with a nearly 100-year-old mural by renowned Kansas artist John Steuart Curry.
The mural, titled “Wall Map of Europe”, was created in 1926 and depicts Europe following World War I and the Russian Revolution. The large-scale artwork was originally commissioned by James Boring, a fellow Kansan and World War I veteran who opened a travel agency in New York City after returning to the U.S. Boring commissioned Curry to create two murals for the business to help illustrate the cruise routes offered by the agency.
The Burr Living Trust donated “Wall Map of Europe” to the museum, where it will become part of the main gallery collection. Nikaela Zimmerman, collections manager at the Kansas Museum of History, said the donation gives the museum more examples of Curry’s completed work.
“They are the first two completed pieces by Curry that we have in the collection, so we have more of his work now,” Zimmerman said. “We can tell a more full story of his career and we have examples of his completed works instead of just studies for what people can see in the state house.”
Zimmerman said the mural is also different from the work Curry is typically known for, which often depicts rural life. The map reflects Europe’s borders and political landscape following World War I, including the Soviet Union. Figures in traditional national dress and other artistic details surround the map.
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Zimmerman said the mural combines historical information with Curry’s artistic style. The museum is working to preserve the nearly century-old painting through climate control, monitoring temperature and humidity, and protecting it from physical contact.
Zimmerman said the mural will remain at the museum for visitors to see. The Kansas Museum of History is located at 6425 SW Sixth Ave. in west Topeka. Visitors can view the mural in the museum’s main gallery during regular operating hours.
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