The Goddess of Abundance by Jules Guerin

Artist Jules Guerin used the Abundance of Earth theme in his classic oil murals towering either side of the State Capitol's Memorial Hallway. The Goddess of Abundance is the central figure in this mural depicting the talents of the earth. The goddess stands on a pedestal and on her head holds a basket of fruit-- apples, oranges, grapes and bananas. She is enclosed by the talents of the earth-- sculpture, music and literature. In front, a sculptor wearing a checkered orange costume shows a model to a youth who, in turn, gains knowledge from the sculptor. At left, an author in a salmon colored robe is pictured focusing on the book he holds. Music is portrayed with a seated figure in the right foreground holding a harp In the background is a rolling landscape containing fields, villages and tall cypress trees. The sky is painted in a decorative pattern. Grapes, apples, oranges and leaves encircle the mural in a dark border used to harmonize it with the marble of Memorial Hallway. Following the theme "abundance of earth," Jules 

 

Guerin painted the foreground on either side of the Senate Chamber reception doors to demonstrate the importance of the products that come from the earth. The left side of the mural displays fruit that grows above the ground. Illustrated are grape vines with their colorful fruit and lush leaves, orange pumpkins and red vermillion poppies. Poppies are used as a central theme tying the murals together. Farmers whose livelihood is dependant on the crops are depicted working in the field. The right panel illustrates the products that come directly from the ground. Shown are potatoes, wheat and vermillion poppies. To emphasize family, a mother is featured with her child, husband and father returning from the harvest. The mural was painted at Guerin's studio in New York specifically for the Louisiana Capitol. In a successful attempt to harmonize the mural and its various colors with the marble of Memorial Hall, Jules Guerin gave it an orange wash treatment. It was placed on the wall in Memorial Hallway in 1932 and has never been removed.