| The Peacemakers | |
| Artist: | Helen Bruton, Esther Bruton, Margaret Bruton |
| Year: | 1939 |
| Type: | Bas relief mural |
| City: | San Francisco |
| Museum: | Court of Pacifica, Golden Gate International Exposition |
The Peacemakers was a historic mural created by the Bruton sisters for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco. Housed within Timothy Pflueger's Court of Pacifica, the mural was a dramatic work spanning 144 feet wide by 57 feet tall, representing the collaborative peace between the countries of the East and West.
Architect Timothy Pflueger commissioned sisters Helen Bell Bruton, Margaret Bruton, and Esther Bruton to create the mural as a centerpiece for the exposition. The original plan called for two murals, but budget cuts led to the creation of only one. The sisters were awarded $20,000 for the project.
The mural, named The Peacemakers, combined elements from Eastern and Western cultures, symbolizing peace across the Pacific. At its center stood two large figures, a Buddha and a kneeling woman, flanked by friezes of 24-foot tall figures and famous architectural landmarks. The Bruton sisters utilized a unique technique, carving the design into masonite panels to create a bas relief effect, allowing for depth and shadow play when illuminated. The Bruton sisters collectively created The Peacemakers mural for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition.
At the fair, The Peacemakers was recognized as one of the most outstanding works and became a symbol of the exposition's artistic achievements. Despite its grand scale, some contemporary critics have later critiqued the mural for its simplistic and naive portrayal of eastern cultures, reflective of the period's Eurocentric views.
The Peacemakers remains a significant work for its depiction of cultural unity and peace, despite its historical and cultural critiques. It stands as a testament to the vision and skill of the artists and the ambition of the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition.