Astoria Column Mural
Posted by: Ambrosia
N 46° 10.882 W 123° 49.058
10T E 436896 N 5114523
A mural on the Astoria Column in Astoria, OR.
Waymark Code: WM108Z
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 11/30/2006
Views: 61
The Astoria Column sits on top of the highest hill in Astoria, OR. The column is a memorial to the explorers and developers of the NW. It is 125 feet high, and you can go to the top of it to get views of the Columbia River where it flows into the Pacific Ocean.
The outside of the Column has a 500 foot mural with 14 scenes depicting the history of the explorers and developers. It starts with the earliest history on the bottom, and spirals around the Column to the latest history on the top.
The mural was created by the Italian artist Atillio Pusterla in 1926. He used the sgraffito technique, an Italian Renaissance form of art that uses plaster reliefs and paint. This art form was not a good match for the coastal climate and by the mid 1990's, some of the art was almost unrecognizable. Renowned restorers were brought in to restore the mural. It took 6 months and cost almost 1 million dollars. The mural now has a water repellant which should help to preserve it.
A website link for more information.