The Boardroom at the old Acme Brewing Company
762 Fulton
Western Addition
Cultivation of Hops and Production of Beer.
Moya del Pina is responsible for these murals at the Acme Brewery murals in He completed them inn November 1935 between commissions at Coit Tower for the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP) in 1934, and a series of Bay Area Post Office murals completed for the Treasury Department Section of Painting and Sculpture from 1936-1941.
In “A Family Picnic” the model for the central figure is believed to be the artist’s wife.
The 1936, Volume 12, of the California Art Research said of these murals:
“The manner in which Moya del Pino has handled his frescoes gives a now dignity to the brewery Industry. The artist has lifted his subject to his height, has made of it something which is at once beautiful as an art work, informative and entertaining as a record of that industry. It is accurate in description; in most instances it is quite poetical in conception, and it is broad and vigorous in presentation.
On the wall facing the door is told the joyous, healthy story of the culture and gathering of the hops and of its crushing. The wall opposite is given to the scientific process of the boiling, laboratory testing, barreling and bottling. The small wall facing the window offers an attractive version of the enjoyment of beer after it has come from the brewery.
It is a family picnic In a familiar San Francisco scene, somewhere on the Marina. Across the bay as a background to the gay party, the Marin hills unroll their easy rhythmical forms against a clear sky.
These frescoes by Moya del Pino qualify as work of outstanding merit on every ground. They are interesting and lively in subject matter. Their color scheme is rich, varied and pleasing. In size they admirably fit in with the dimensions of the room. ”
The murals are protected by large sheets of glass, making photos difficult.
These murals are painted using the Spanish tradition. They are painted on dry plaster covered with caseine. Casein paint has been used by the ancients on wood panel paintings, wall murals and has also used successfully as a household/architectural paint. When applied properly on the right support it has proven itself to be an archive quality paint. The glue was developed by old master craftsmen for making furniture and musical instruments, the binder is actually a fast-drying water soluble glue produced from milk proteins.
José Moya del Pino studied art at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid. He moved to San Francisco during the 1930s and taught at the San Francisco Art Students League (a cooperative space featuring an art gallery, art classes, and art supply store founded by fellow artist Ray Strong),The California School of Fine Arts (now called the San Francisco Art Institute) and the College of Marin.
He was known for his portraiture but he also painted murals for post offices around the Bay Area (1936-1941). He also founded the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross, California.
Thank you – perfect subject matter! And perfect timing!
1930s murals were the perfect place to tell the story of:
1. the culture of the hops industry
2. the scientific process of the boiling, laboratory testing, barrelling and bottling. And
3. the enjoyment of beer.
With ordinary workers, not bankers and moguls.