Szeląg Art Conservation has just completed a unique project with a touch of St. Louis History.
The project inovloved restoration of a long lost painting “Commerce on The Landing” by Louis Grell. Louis Grell (1887-1960) was a composition and portrait painter who lived at the famous Tree Studio Artist Colony in Chicago.
Photo Courtesy of Louis Grell Foundation
The unique seven foot tall by twenty-eight foot long mural was mounted above the curved “new ticket counter” as part of the World War II renovation at Union Station in St. Louis in 1942. The mural was in place until about 1985, when, during an extensive renovation it was moved to the UNION STATION Cine 10 theatre for a short period until the theatre closed and the mural was lost. The painting was rediscovered in 2014 during recent renovation of the hotel and terminal. The mural went an extensive conservation and wll be rehung in the Union Station Grand Hall. Union Station owners believe Commerce on the Landing ”is considered one of the most important public artworks ever created for St. Louis.
For more information about this restoration project, please visit Szeląg Art Conservation website
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