The Artists

The murals were completed in a matter of months by a team of artists, many of whom were Texas professional artists. The murals were both outdoor, on the porticos of buildings, and indoor on medallions and murals. Although there had been fierce competition from Texas artists for the commission, in the end, George Dahl was given the choice of who should lead the mural teams. Despite protests from the Texas artists, Dahl chose two artists who, more than being non-Texans, were not even American. During their lifetimes, the two were widely successful and respected, however they fell into obscurity and have largely been excluded from art historical scholarship.

Carlo Ciampaglia

Carlo Ciampaglia (1891 - 1978) was a prolific muralist who was especially active during the 1930's and 1940's. He was born in Italy and moved to the United States as a small child. He was raised in Hoboken and taught at Cooper Union in New York, he had also received an American Fellowship in Rome during his twenties. This three-year fellowship heavily impacted his style, and because of the fellowship, he was often identified as an Italian, rather than an American, artist.

Carlo Ciampaglia at work on the
Fecundity mural, 1936. Photo from
the author's image library.

Pierre Bourdelle

Pierre Bourdelle (1901 - 1966) was a French-born muralist who had been trained by his father, also a professional muralist. After emigrating to the US, he settled in New York, where he lived, worked, and tought. He and Ciampaglia got along very well, and were commissioned to work together once more at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Having enjoyed their experience in Dallas, the two accepted. Ciampaglia credited receiving the World's Fair commission due to the publicity and exposure the pair received from the Centennial Exposition.