Very important mural study/sketch proposal for the Wausau Post Office.
Gerrit Sinclair won the WPA commission to create two murals for the Wausau Post Office.
On opposite, facing walls, he did one mural for the Early Days of Lumbering - important to Wausau's past.
On the opposite wall, a mural to honor the early days of the US postal service - RFD - previously named Rural Free Delivery. Sinclair would have produced numerous sketches to gain approval from the Post Office, this being one of them.
What males it most important, is that the RFD/ Rural Free Delivery mural somehow "disappeared" years ago. The Lumbering mural is still in the lobby of the old Post Office building in Wausau (which was converted to residential living when a new Post Office was built.)
Please note the 1940 newspaper article in the description, which shows Sinclair with the RFD mural when it was unvelied in 1940. You can read about the post office murals, and see the RFD mural which was executed - and is now missing - many of the same elements - particularly the horse and carriage. Not sure if any other sketches exist for this RFD mural project, but this may be the only one - of historical significance documenting this WPA post office project.
Also included in the description, you can see a photocopy of a document that resides in the archives of the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA). They have all of Sinclair's historical papers, and it appears that they have a slide of this work as noted in the description.
The painting came through Sinclair's son, has been cleaned and conserved, and is now beautifully framed and ready to hang. It is unsigned, but is certifiably authentic, and supported with the documentation described. A Certificate of Authenticity can be supplied with purchase if needed. Let me know if you have any other questions. Painting can be viewed in person by contacting the gallery.