The Saint Francis Murals of Santa Fe: How They Were Created

The murals of the Saint Francis Auditorium of the Museum of Fine Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico were dedicated in 1918 when the Museum of Fine Arts was the subject of great festivities held for the grand opening of the building, financed by private capital and State money. The murals themselves are in excellent condition and effectively grace the handsome auditorium. Their meaning is not obvious; in only three of them does Saint Francis appear. One inevitably wonders why the other subjects were s…