The Embarcadero – Rincon Annex Murals

The Embarcadero

Rincon Annex

98 Howard Street

Panel #17

Panel #17. “Vigilante Justice Vigilance committees formed during the 1850’s in San Francisco to counteract excessive criminality and a weak city government. These committees handed down verdicts on their own terms. Vigilante justice was also popular in mining towns. This panel depicts vigilante actions in 1856 that resulted from the murder of newspaper editor James King of William by county supervisor James P. Casey. Casey was convicted and hanged at the same moment King of William was being buried”

Panel #20

Panel #20. “San Francisco as a cultural center The famous San Franciscans pictured in this panel are, from left to right, acress Lotta Crabtree, writer Frank Norris, horticulturist Luther Burbank, writers Robert Louis Stevenson, Merk Train, Bret Harte, publisher and writer Hubert Howe and writer Jack London. On the far-right is a scene of ghost-like WPA artists painting a mural, a commentary on the federal art programs which had ceased to exist earlier in the 1940’s. The broadside pictured in the upper center relates to the 1863 racy melodrama, Mazeppa, a play in which actress Adah Issacs Menkin appeared seemingly nude (actually in flesh-colored tights) while on horseback. “According to Rob Spoor “Cultural Life in San Francisco” originally showed books by controversial authors; they were painted out. Even Lotta Crabtree’s pink outfit was considered too risquÈ for 1950s San Francisco (but remained unaltered).

Panel #25

Panel #25. “Building the Golden Gate Bridge. Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge was begun in 1933 and completed in 1937. At that time, the 4,200 foot span was the longest in the world. The towers are 746 feet high, ship clearance underneath the roadway is 220 feet. The chief engineer, Joseph Strauss designed and built over 400 bridges during his lifetime. The Golden Gate Bridge is considered his masterpiece.”

Panel #27 World War II

Oddly, there is not explanation plaque for this particular mural.

All the descriptions following the murals on this post can be found on plaques near the murals.

Refregier was born in Moscow and emigrated to the United States in 1920. After working various odd jobs, he earned a scholarship to the Rhode Island School of Design in 1921. Refregier found inspiration in tragic events. He was quoted as saying that “the richer we [were] in possessions, the poorer we became in their enjoyment.” He said the amazing part of that period was the “human quality, the humanist attitude that [everyone] had” and the discovery that “the artist was not apart from the people.” He struggled as a muralist until the government began the Works Progress Administration.