Biography
Tom Lea (1907–2001) was an American painter, muralist, illustrator, novelist, and war correspondent whose work spanned more than six decades. His New Deal murals, created for the Section of Fine Arts, reveal a deep sense of narrative clarity, historical awareness, and emotional restraint — qualities that later defined his wartime illustrations and literary work.
Although Lea is best known nationally for his World War II paintings and novels, his early federal murals demonstrate his ability to translate American history into accessible, human‑centered imagery. His Missouri commission in Pleasant Hill is one of the state’s most significant Civil War–themed New Deal murals.
Missouri Works
“Back Home, April 1865” — Pleasant Hill Post Office (1939)
Commissioned by the Section of Fine Arts, this oil‑on‑canvas mural depicts a Union soldier returning home
at the end of the Civil War. Lea’s composition emphasizes the emotional weight of reunion, the quiet dignity of
ordinary people, and the lingering scars of conflict.
The mural stands as one of Missouri’s most poignant New Deal artworks, blending historical narrative with Lea’s signature clarity and restraint.
New Deal Program Involvement
Lea worked under the Section of Fine Arts, producing murals that emphasized:
- historical storytelling
- emotional realism
- accessible public imagery
- regional identity
His Pleasant Hill mural remains a key example of the Section’s mission to bring high‑quality art into everyday public spaces.