Detroit's Guardian Building
Downtown Detroit’s Guardian Building is a standing tribute to the Motor City’s early glory days and art deco skyscraper architectural design.
Northern Michigan’s Ezra Winter played a hard-to-miss part in its success. His three-story Michigan map mural dominates the whole south wall of the building’s upper bank lobby. He was one of several artists whose work can be found in the 40-story Guardian Building.
Winter, a well-known and respected American mural artist from the 1920s through the 1940s, was born in Manistee, grew up near Traverse City and graduated from high school here in 1905. He is featured in the Winter 2011 of Reflections By The Bays quarterly magazine, published by the Record-Eagle. The Michigan map mural is his best-known work in the state.
For the full story about Ezra Winter, pick up the Winter 2011 edition of Reflections, available on newsstands now.
Read MoreNorthern Michigan’s Ezra Winter played a hard-to-miss part in its success. His three-story Michigan map mural dominates the whole south wall of the building’s upper bank lobby. He was one of several artists whose work can be found in the 40-story Guardian Building.
Winter, a well-known and respected American mural artist from the 1920s through the 1940s, was born in Manistee, grew up near Traverse City and graduated from high school here in 1905. He is featured in the Winter 2011 of Reflections By The Bays quarterly magazine, published by the Record-Eagle. The Michigan map mural is his best-known work in the state.
For the full story about Ezra Winter, pick up the Winter 2011 edition of Reflections, available on newsstands now.
Allegorical images representing progress and prospertiy were made of Pewabic mosic created by Mary Chase Stratton of Detroit for the apse above the Griswold entrance. The winged man above symbolizes aviation, while the three medalions below signify industry, agriculture and transportation. All fourl brought economic prosperity to Detroit by the 1920s.
