Date of Award
9-24-2014
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Heritage Studies, Ph.D.
First Advisor
Brady Banta
Committee Members
Deborah Chappel Traylor; Ruth Hawkins
Call Number
LD 251 .A566d 2014 J43
Abstract
This dissertation focuses on the life and works of an early twentieth-century interior decorator from Fayetteville, Arkansas--Paul Martin Heerwagen. It examines the roles of interior design and decorative painting in the preservation of heritage. Specifically, it explores how the interpretation of interior decoration and architecture can contribute to our knowledge and understanding of the social and cultural heritage of the people who commissioned and used it. Heerwagen contributed to and helped to form the profession of interior decoration in the New South during his career as a decorator, 1883-1938. He implemented his interior designs and painted wall decoration in notable buildings in Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Texas during a prosperous period of fast growth and unbridled construction. The structures he decorated attracted fanfare at their openings, helping to bring national attention to regional architectural development and Southern craftsmanship. The clients who commissioned Heerwagen were among the most financially successful in the South. Through his artistry, they sought to portray an image of taste, wealth, and culture. While the grandeur of the interiors promoted his career, Heerwagen's European heritage also contributed to his professional success as newly wealthy clients projected status by adopting continental style and values. This dissertation examines architectural fashion and ornament popular during Heerwagen's decorative career. The narrative explores the roots of the prevalent fashion and the reasons it became desirable in the United States. It also investigates Heerwagen's activity as an interior decorator, including his use of murals, application of decorative ornament, and the artistry of his decorative painting. Three of Heerwagen's projects are my case studies. These selections span the course of his decorating career and represent a variety of building types--residential, government-sponsored, and entertainment architecture. The case studies examine the McKinney Residence in El Dorado, Arkansas, the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock, and the Strand Theatre in Shreveport, Louisiana. They are representative of over thirty Southern buildings that have been identified as including Heerwagen decoration.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Antoinette Fiduccia, "Paul Martin Heerwagen, 1883-1938: Southern Interior Decorator, Exploring Architectural, Ornamental, Social, and Cultural Heritage through Interior Decoration" (2014). Student Theses and Dissertations. 768.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/768
